IF - Based on Kipling (Oct/22/2008 )

IF
@Based on Kipling

IF you can keep your pipettes when all about you
Are losing theirs and trying to take yours from you,
If you can trust yourself when your PI doubts you,
But make allowance for his doubting too;
If you can wait and not be madden by waiting,
Or catch mistakes, not make mistakes too
Or failure, not give up by quitting,
And yet not look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth your results've spoken
Twisted by noise and desire to trap unwary fools,
Or watch the project you gave your life and nights to, broken,
Yet stoop to rebuild with pressing time and worn out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at the beginning,
And never breathe a word to your boss;
If you can force your heart, mind and sinew
To serve you long after they are tattered and gone,
And so go on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says: 'Hold on!'

If you can work with undergrad and keep your virtue,
' Or talk with Professors - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of pipetting fun,
Nature papers are yours and everything with it,
And - which is more - you'll have a doctorate, my son!

That''d be a great poem, sire. Indeed.

I must admit perneseblue that you put my sloppy slogans to shame....I am now challenged to improve my lyrical skills (even if it kills me) hmm...all I need now is a muse...Shall we start with some haikus - teeny weeny steps first before we do the giant leap? Pretty good stuff...sire...

I must admit perneseblue that you put my sloppy slogans to shame....I am now challenged to improve my lyrical skills (even if it kills me) hmm...all I need now is a muse...Shall we start with some haikus - teeny weeny steps first before we do the giant leap? Pretty good stuff...sire...