Ode to an Engineer

Ode to an Engineer

The gleaming brass and steel arise, peek through
with smooth construct and sleek design-
Mechanical alive, organic too,
All flowing grace and shapely lines.

All coldly calculated they, but keen:
the eloquence of some sweet girl,
Her time becomes her heart becomes machine;
Piston flywheel, soft lock and curl.

Immense arising here it swells, a span
of time, and energies amend
which she designed. Machine drew down and planned
as wondrous as the book and pen.

And then: what can I say? What shall I do?
A simple sign, so evident the truth:
kinetic living live and bright,
a girl's eye or her machine, the grace cannot alight.