Read John’s poem, as featured in the video, ‘Glasgow, City of Science’
WELCOME TO A CITY
THAT HAS A STRONG ALLIANCE
WITH TECHNOLOGY OF ALL KINDS
OVERFLOWING WITH SCIENCE
EXPLODING FROM A RIVER
ITS LEGACY KNOWN WORLDWIDE
INNOVATORS OF A MARINE INDUSTRY
FAMOUS SHIPBUILDERS ON THE CLYDE
BUILDINGS OLD AND NEW
DECORATE ITS SHORES
CONSTRUCTION BECOMING AN ART FORM
AN EXHIBITION OUTDOORS
AMONGST BREATHTAKING BRIDGES
A SCIENCE CENTRE NOW SITS
A TREASURE FOR GENERATIONS
AN ENHANCER OF THEIR WITS
THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES
ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE SEA
KEEPING THE TRAFFIC
FLOWING WHAT A CHALLENGE IT MUST BE
A CONSTANTLY EXPANDING INFASTRUCTURE
THE ACADEMIC CREAM
TAKE THE SUBJECT OF JAMES WATT
AND POWER OF STEAM
HE RECOGNIZED INNEFFICIENCES
IN THE MACHINES OF HIS TIME
BY WAY OF A SEPERATE CONDENSER
WHICH OVERHAULED THE DESIGN
GIVING RISE TO ROTARY MOTION
HE NOW RESTS IN A THRONE
PAID TRIBUTE ON LIGHTBULBS
HIS NAME ETCHED IN STONE
IN THE YEAR EIGHTEEN NINTEY THREE
JUST ONE HUNDRED STREETLIGHTS
TWENTY THOUSAND MORE IN THREE YEARS
NOW BLUE ONES REDUCE FIGHTS
THE MILES OF UNSEEN CABLES
TRANSPORTING ENERGY IN A BLINK
CRISS-CROSSING DRAINAGE SYSTEMS
FROM WHICH OUR FEATHERED RESIDENTS DRINK
THOUGH THE CROWDS MAY NOT KNOW
THEIR LIVES ARE ILLUMINATED
BRIGHT LIGHTS AT EVERY TURN
TIMETABLES TO BE SPECTATED
BE IT PAST OR PRESENT
SCIENCE IS NEVER FAR AWAY
STANDARDS OF MEASUREMENT, TIMECAPSULES
AND THE RECORD BREAKERS OF THEIR DAY
THIS HUB OF TRAINS AND BUSSES
A PLACE OF RELIANCE
THIS MARVEL, THIS GLASGOW
MY CITY OF SCIENCE
John Scott is a film maker from Viewpark, Glasgow. With films screened as far away as Kent. Find more work from Waylate Films on YouTube
Are you bursting with ideas too? Think you could put your creative streak to work on the strong connection the West of Scotland has with science? Get your thinking caps on – we’d love to hear from you!