Electronics Poetry - "Ravin"
November 1942 QST Poem

This is yet another example of humorous - and clever - poetry written by Hams from back in the 1940s... November 1942, to be exact. It, along with "''Somewhere in Australia," appeared in the ARRL magazine QST. As alluded to in the title, "Ravin," it is a play on Edgar Allen Poe's famous "The Raven" poem. A editorial note added, "QST's mail these days is laden with [aspiring poets'] efforts. Of these, many are, of course, quite devoid of merit; others, while readable, are unavailable simply because of space limitations. Yet so strong a flood of contributions must indicate at least a partially equivalent strength of reader interest. And so we present herewith a few offerings from the top of the pile." Enjoy.

Ravin

(With apologies to Edgar Allan Poe)

By Meyer Dolinko

ONCE upon a midday dreary, while I pondered weak and weary

In the class laboratory, idly tracing some old set;

As I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping

As of something gently rapping - rapping in my superhet.

Ah - I sharply recollect it came so fast I'd ne'er expect it,

But I quickly did detect it - and began to trouble shoot.

Took my faithful long-nosed plier, poked into my amplifier,

Deftly pulled upon a wire - one, or two - or four.

Then I spent ten minutes praying, heard myself quite softly saying,

"Quoth the speaker: 'Nevermore!'"

Stunned and filled with indignation, I withdrew in consternation

As the mystic oscillation kept on drumming in my ears.

"Stray capacitance!" I muttered, but the word was hardly uttered

When the speaker coughed and stuttered - adding greatly to my fears.

"Either this, or else distortion!" So I quickly seized a portion

Of my set, and threw all caution out the door -

With a swiftly mounting fever and the patience of a beaver

Swore I'd fix that damned receiver. Quoth the speaker: "Nevermore!"

Now I looked up rather smartly, thought I had the answer, partly,

For it was my shunt-feed Hartley that was troubling me - I guessed.