POEM - Kinetic Problem Solving

Scissors in my hand

Bulky and overdone

These are not for paper or hair

As I deliberately and slowly cut

Into the shiny metal pieces

Trimming away what isn’t supposed to be there

Hoping that what is left

Is worth keeping

I have bent this piece too many times

As I try to flatten it once again

Testing and restarting

That last bend

Breaks off a piece

And once again the snips do trim

Shape and form and shave just a little

Meanwhile I visualize the end

Balance the equations in my head

Hoping they come out right

How many levels of wire and weights

Will be too much to overcome

For the floating counter balance

And drag the sculpture to the ground

So for now I move the fulcrum back

The equilibrium is almost there

Adjustments will come in the future

But now I know I can make them

And I can let that process

Rest  for a while

Because there are still five other problems

Trying to find common ground

Until ever so often

A cog meshes

An idea hooks to another

Piece fit together from a different angle

And the mystery starts to let me see some of the solution

The problem of drilling stainless steel

Just got resolved correctly

And the permanent marker will come off

And look good in the end

And the new piece of wire

Has bent the right way

And is hanging so nice

And the whole thing spins

So smoothly and lovely

On the smallest of points

And in the nicest of ways