Once upon a weekend dreary, as I labored, my eyes bleary, Over many a faint (or spurious) signal from a fluorophore — While my cells sat photobleaching, suddenly there came a screeching,
-
-
Prikaži ovu nit
-
Like a tiny voice beseeching, reaching my ears through the door. “Who could that be,” said I, “screeching by my laboratory door?” And I opened it, unsure...
Prikaži ovu nit -
Later, now, I mull it over — it was chilly, bleak October; Leaves once bright, now dull and sober, piled and shattered by the door. Night had turned to sunless morning, gravid clouds hung black with warning,
Prikaži ovu nit -
But a hope had started forming as my cells went dark once more — For I’d seen a long-sought signal as fluorescence died once more. I flipped the light switch by my door.
Prikaži ovu nit -
With the hall illumined, seeing that there was no human being, Still I heard that bloomin’ keening, drawing my gaze to the floor. One drab sparrow there was sitting, black eyes staring, never flitting —
Prikaži ovu nit -
Our new building’s oft admitting such birds through its lobby door. “Through our soaring atrium,” I sighed, “you’ve flown right to my door.” And the bird said, “Are you sure?”
Prikaži ovu nit -
Now these words were far from screech-like; this bird’s voice was surely speech-like! “What is this?” I croaked, thoughts beached like boats upon a storm-wracked shore. Surely I had heard in error, surely was this bird the bearer
Prikaži ovu nit -
Merely of some waking terror spawned by sleepless nights before. “Talking birds,” said I, “suggest I should have slept the night before.” Said the sparrow, “Are you sure?”
Prikaži ovu nit -
By that phrase I was dumbfounded. It could speak! I stood, astounded. Then I knew: “This means I’ve found it, found what I’ve been looking for!” Birds have come as signs and omens since the time of Greeks and Romans
Prikaži ovu nit -
Meaning that I’d seen what no one’s ever gazed upon before — Glowing cells had shown effects that none had ever seen before! Quoth the sparrow: “Are you sure?”
Prikaži ovu nit -
Now these words awakened something — queries from this small, ill-come thing In my mind had fast become things that I could not quite ignore. So I went to check my data: cell size, brightness, τ and θ,
Prikaži ovu nit -
All to satisfy this late arrival who requested more — All to slake the thirst of this new presence who demanded more — Like a dread Reviewer 4.
Prikaži ovu nit -
And that sparrow, doubt incorporate, trailing me as if in orbit, Lit upon Palade’s portrait, hung above my monitor. “Foul omen,” cursed I, searching through my notes while it sat perching,
Prikaži ovu nit -
Preening and, it seemed, besmirching all that I had done before — Preening like a haughty rival who’d reviewed my grants before And found much there to abhor.
Prikaži ovu nit -
Then I found what I’d been seeking: data of which I’d been speaking That would silence its critiquing and allow me peace once more. Now its words it would revalue; criticism, too, devalue
Prikaži ovu nit -
Once it noted this P-value, less than 0.004! “With the null hypothesis, the chance, per thousand, is but four!” Quoth the sparrow, “Are you sure?”
Prikaži ovu nit -
That statistic’s clear conclusion did assume both fast diffusion And a normal distribution (which I had scant data for). Then I feared a worse confusion — could this be a pure illusion?
Prikaži ovu nit -
Green fluorescent protein fusion causing changes which I’d score? GFP could not have caused the findings at my study’s core! Quoth the sparrow, “Are you sure?”
Prikaži ovu nit -
Were my findings true and actual? Were they merely artifactual? (Publish things you might retract? You’ll feel no fear that frightens more.) No sure fact could I remember; even findings from September
Prikaži ovu nit -
Faded like the dark’ning embers of a dying, bleaching fluor — Once-bright certainty had dimmed much like a fast-degrading fluor — Still the bird jeered, “Are you sure?”
Prikaži ovu nit -
Long I faced this tiny skeptic — long its query most dyspeptic Spurred me on so that I kept explaining what seemed clear before. Doubt my sleepless mind infected: what was known, what just expected,
Prikaži ovu nit -
Normalized, or just corrected to agree with plots of yore? That bird’s question, oft reflected, did into my psyche bore — And from me all reason tore.
Prikaži ovu nit -
Still the sparrow, never flitting, sits in judgment unremitting On Palade’s picture sitting just above my monitor. Now I hear my colleagues knocking, but I shall escape their mocking,
Prikaži ovu nit -
All their criticisms blocking, locking them outside my door — Here I’ll sit and, rocking, rocking, gaze on dying cells once more — And I’ll gaze — until I’m sure! FIN
Prikaži ovu nit -
Novi razgovor -
Čini se da učitavanje traje već neko vrijeme.
Twitter je možda preopterećen ili ima kratkotrajnih poteškoća u radu. Pokušajte ponovno ili potražite dodatne informacije u odjeljku Status Twittera.