A Precarious Situation

Cherry

By luigi_pagano

Wed, 09 Aug 2023
  • 1419 reads
16 comments
 

Because I'm eighty-eight
they call me an old geezer
but I'm not as ancient
as the Tower of Pisa.

It is 762 years, 8 months
and 8 days older than me;
its foundations were laid
on August the ninth 1173.

Though well-intentioned,
the builder was misguided
and therefore the tower
went up lopsided.

We have a lot in common:
as it can clearly be seen
I am no longer vertical,
I have a tendency to lean.

Like the Torre Pendente
(that no one can climb)
I could easily topple
at any given time.

For both of us it is
a precarious situation
but we must be hopeful
for our recuperation.

 

© Luigi Pagano 2023

 

Certificate U
Poem
Mutevoli pensieri
Historical Fiction

Comments

Submitted by Turlough on

I've been there. I tilted my camera by a few degrees before pessing the shutter release button. Oh the confusion it caused amongst people looking at my holiday photos. Amused, I did similar in Paris and Blackpool.

Please don't topple Luigi. I'd miss reading clever little poems like this one. 

Turlough

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

We have all been there, Turlough, trying to get the perfect photographic trick to amaze our friends. On one of our visits to Pisa, the pose we adopted was to stand next to the tower with arms stretched pretending to push it back to the upright position. It didn't quite work out;  when the snaps were developed there was a big gap between the hands and the building. "It must have moved while you were pressing the shutter". my children commented. I  could well believe it: the old rogue has surprised everybody by defying the gloomy predictions that it was a matter of time before it fell down. It has survived wars and earthquakes for 850 years and it is said that it is still safe for another 200 years. I'll be careful not to topple, I'm using a walking stick. laugh

Cheers, Luigi.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Hear hear - long may you lean Luigi!

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Thank you, Claudine, much appreciated. Good luck with the Zoom reading, I'm off to Bath for a few days.

Lugi x

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I am glad you have a bent for writing fun clever poems Luigi :0) Hope you have a lovely holiday!

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Yes Di, it is a natural inclination.smiley  Besides, we need humour to counteract the gloomy news that surrounds us. Thanks for your wishes.

Luigi x

 

 

 

Submitted by marandina on

"Because I'm eighty-eight
they call me an old geezer
but I'm not as ancient
as the Tower of Pisa..."

 

What a wonderful, opening stanza Luigi. Adroitly done with your customary humour and talent for poetry. Enjoy Bath (a truly stunning city). Keep well. Paul

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Sorry for the late reply, Paul. I have just returned after my brief visit to Bath. It is indeed a stunning city  The fact that one of my daughters lives there Is the perfect excuse to enjoy its attractions.
Thanks for your kind words.

Best, Luigi

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Luigi,

you put this poem together brilliantly. I really hope I live as long as you and can keep my writing going. yes

Hope you have a special time in Bath too.

Jenny. xx

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Just persevere, Jenny, and you'll reach a venerable age. smiley

Kind regards xx

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

The Tower of Pisa is amazing yes and you say it is in balance and can topple at any time. The story has it Galileo did his famous experiment there to demonstrate a heavy ball and a light one falls with the same (gravital) acceleration. Do you perhaps know the exact angle of tilt?

Your snapshot ideas sound very entertaining Luigi!

Cheers! Tom

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Thank you, Tom. In answer to your question Google says:

"Now back to the physics: In terms of angles, the tower now leans at 3.99 degrees. Considering the weight and height of the tower, physicists have said the maximum angle would be 5.44 degrees before the tower falls (at its worst, the tower once leaned briefly at 5.5 degrees".

Best, Luigi

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

When the centre of mass goes over the base of the leaning tower it should fall. We have to consider the tower as rigid. Obviously the centre of mass lies along the tower's symmetry-axis. Its height is to be found and length of the base. So past that it should topple, these of course estimates. Already we have the current measured angle, you say 3.99o and applying some very simple trigonometry we may calculate the "toppling angle"

If the tower once leaned past that, 4o it had to fall I can't see it gong more upright again when it leans over. There is a problem here,  Google or no Google. And in fact the weight also has little to do with it.

Cheers! First lesson free! Mr Brown

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Sorry about that I get carried away sometimes.

Have a good day! Tom

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

yes

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

I am perfectly ignorant on this matter Tom, but I don't believe the Google piece mentioned anything about about the tower going upright again. It says that physicists believe that the maximum leaning angle that the building can afford before it falls down is 5.44 degrees. I  know that you are a brilliant mathematician and can work out the answer yourself but you asked the question in the first place and the only way a layman like me could find the information was Google.