( Mechain et Delambre )
Under the aegis of science as deity
they sought to create
a new church and laity,
replacing local customary
ancient measures and weights
they did away with clocks
calendars and all of the dates;
Mechain et Delambre
set out on their stroll
to measure the distance
from Equator to Pole:
one ten-millionth
of the length of the Meridian
was supposed to establish
the Metre as quotidian:
1792 Revolution in the air
beset the journeys
of this empirical pair,
on their quest for
the measure of all things
so as to make uniform
the length of all strings.
Wit and irony leave their fingerprints all over this taut and engaging poem.
Tout simplement – ‘Anything but quotidien’ – fabulous!