Academics, you stand at interesting spots,
You are but nodes in the internet of thoughts;
Anchored in ideas, ancient and new,
Downloaded free and easy to view.
From credulous, curious, oblivious students,
To kind, critical, and resentful friends;
Classrooms, committees, with relations grown,
Certainly there, you’re not on your own.
Statistical geniuses and language editors,
Blessed are they as confirmed co-authors;
In predatory journals where fees are cheap,
You will be known by the company you keep.
For CIs, PIs, and RAs on contract,
Unwilling participants, willing to retract;
Funders, regulators, and media galore;
Get ready with stories that impress and stir.
University leaders, directors, and deans,
Managers and auditors, counting their beans,
Unit panel members, silent as stone,
Seek their thoughts, by making yours known.
So it is with academics, present and past,
Nodes of thought, whose impact may last,
In proportion to their will, to listen and tell,
Adventures of mind that succeed or fail.
Notes.
Revised a few times between July and December 2017. This poem is based on my university experience in Sarawak, Malaysia. Of course I have taken the poetic license to highlight aspects of academic life selectively. The main purpose is to make the readers laugh, think, and explore!
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