Two Poems by Dr Stephen Paul Wren

 

Pylon proteins

 

Pylons are like large amino acids

linked by sturdy cables (the amide bonds)

The connected pylons (proteins) extend

next to the motorway, cutting through leas 

Imagine if this chain could fold itself

to imitate proteins that fold in us

We would see big globules as we drive by

Maybe that would help teach biology?

 

 

 

Vingt 

 

I knew the answer.

The French word for twenty.

The word was stuck below my mouth in bodily traffic.

The teacher waited.

Someone else won the praise.

I knew the answer.

The brain sent its signal.

The word grew in serif font, black and emboldened itself.

The morning furrowed.

A school friend saw my face.

 

Beating my stammer was galling.

Searching for a voice was galling.

Dr Stephen Paul Wren studied at Cambridge (Corpus Christi College) and worked in industry for many years. He transitioned back into academia at Oxford (St Hilda’s College) before joining Kingston University in 2018 where he works as a Senior lecturer in pharmaceutical chemistry.

Stephen's poetry can be read at www.stephenpaulwren.wixsite.com/luke12poetry and you can find him on Twitter @Stephen34343631. His book ‘Formulations’ (co-written with Dr Miranda Lynn Barnes) was published by Small Press in 2022. His book 'A celestial crown of Sonnets' (co-written with Dr Sam Illingworth) was published by Penteract Press in 2021. Also, Stephen's poetry has appeared in places such as 14 magazine, Marble Broadsheet,

Consilience, Green Ink Poetry, Tears in the Fence, Fragmented Voices, and Dreich magazine.

Stephen's Facebook group Molecules Unlimited is growing quickly and its third online meeting is scheduled to take place in April 2023 (with Philip Gross as guest reader).