The Power of Dreams

Are dreams premonitory? Are they revelatory? Here are two little verses, make of them what you will.

I

Friedrich August Kekulé

vowed to never take a holiday

until he cracked the structure

found the elusive architecture

of C-six H-six or benzene

and then one night in a dream

he saw a wriggling snake

mistaking his tail for a piece of cake

thus saw he the light in the night!

See six aitch six

II

Many an attempt

Einstein had made

He dreamt of relatives

To fine-tune Newton’s gravity

He’d worked with ardour and alacrity

But nonetheless

He’d had no success

Until one night he dreamt

Of faces he’d never seen

Albert, they greeted him

Where have you been

You old Dibukkim?

They’re your relatives, a voice said