Larry Bradfield Poet Rhyme

Fate's Footfalls

Way back when I was still in school
I saw the most ingenious tool
They called the thing a sliding rule
A smart man rose out of a fool

It could multiply and divide
Hung on a belt there by your side
I wore a grin I could not hide
Why I'd be famous far and wide

That was when I made me a plan
In no time I'd be a rich man
I'd go back to mesquite and sand
And sell sliderules much as I can

Bought me a thousand, got 'em cheap
Took 'em out there where sand is deep
Planned to sell 'em to earn my keep
They said,"Man, have you been asleep?"

Calculators were in their jeans
A gadget that I'd never seen
Where were they when I was a teen
Fate's footfalls had treated me mean

Maybe I'll hold 'em as antiques
Someday the tears will leave my cheeks
Someday the tears will stop their leaks
But for the sliderule no one speaks


3-3-2018
For Contest Fate's Footfalls by John Lawless

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Line Gauthier March 3, 2018 at 4:12 PM Poor you, I feel for you. "Someday the tears will leave my cheeks". I sure you are over it now. Awesome entry, Larry. Larry Bradfield March 3, 2018 at 7:23 PM haha..thanks, Line. Always nice to hear from you

Dale Gregory Cozart March 3, 2018 at 3:16 PM My older brother used one with ease. I never figured them out. Two years later and we didn't use them. Cute poem. Larry Bradfield March 3, 2018 at 3:52 PM Thanks..as an engineering student in the 50's, both sliderule and vacuum tube electronics were mandatory courses. Before I even graduated transistors replaced vacuum tubes and calculators erased sliderules!