“Consider task seeming-inordinate:
Turn chaos to narrative order. Yet,
Steps infinitesimal
Will sum to path epical:
Illumined reaction coordinate.”
The 27 April 2023 Twitter limerick again fell during National Library Week; as with the previous post, it highlighted a famous quote about writing, relating it to the context of a chemistry theme. This particular quote was from E. L. Doctorow, award-winning author of Ragtime and many other novels.
Doctorow said: “Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” (I have seen a few different phrasings of this quote over time, but the themes and central images remain the same.)
“Consider task seeming-inordinate: /
Turn chaos to narrative order….”
In writing, one processes initially-chaotic information (whether it takes the form of quantitative data or qualitative events) into some kind of narrative order.
This can seem a daunting (“inordinate”) task, regardless of whether the goal is a book, an essay, a journal article, etc.
“…Yet, /
Steps infinitesimal /
Will sum to path epical…”
This portion of the poem directly references Doctorow’s quote. A writer doesn’t have to produce an entire essay, article, or book every time they sit down. The accumulation of the accomplishments of a regular routine (of the daily “steps infinitesimal,” over time) will ultimately “sum to path epical,” adding up to the total work in question. Using Doctorow’s imagery, the headlights might only illuminate a small stretch of the road ahead, but that is enough for one day’s progress to contribute to the course of an epic journey.
“Illumined reaction coordinate.”
In chemistry terms, this quote suggests the image of a reaction coordinate: a graphical depiction of the energetic costs and benefits incurred as reactants progress toward products over time. A reaction coordinate looks very much like a journey through mountains and valleys, perhaps illuminated a few feet (or meters!) at a time.
Routine is one of the most common suggestions or discussions for aspiring and established writers, but it can be remarkably hard to establish in the hubbub of everyday life. Doctorow’s quote highlights the value of finding even a few moments per day to make some progress.
Likewise, the balance between the small distance accomplished a few steps at a time and the picture created by the overall path is one that echoes in both writing and chemistry.
Chemphasis 