Bringing Triumph To The Brain Poem by gershon hepner

Advances in research depend
on unexpected brilliant breaks
the gods fortuitously send
not triumphs born of our mistakes.

Gruesome often is the fate
emerging from a triumph, but
mistakes will often impregnate
a barren mind that had been shut.

Although by blind spots we’re deceived,
and inspiration tends to wane,
errors that we have conceived
may bring triumph to our brain.


Inspired by Owen Gingerich’s review of Ingrid D. Rowland’s book “Giordano Bruno” (The Long Road to Infinity, ” WSJ, December 19,2008) :

Part of her purpose, she says, is to portray Bruno as a literary figure: “He was perhaps, more a poet than an empirical observer. Yet his intellectual contradictions, his blind spots and his insights serve as a reminder that scientific investigation has always depended on inspiration as well as investigation, on mistakes as well as triumphs.”..Ms. Rowland’s gripping chronicle gives a clear picture of his pilgrimage and a vivid, horrifying account of his trial and gruesome fate––in Rome’s public square.

12/19/08