- The Opinions and Writings of David F Williams
DFW
Can the science of organ transplantation be explained in poetry? How do stem cells and quantum dots fare when they are the subject of verse? So what does the sun smell like, and what are the emotions of color? This section represents the visual and poetic interpretations of the world according to a scientist.
A Decade of Transition, Hiraeth and Ubuntu, A History of Medicine in Sonnets, Cats and Clouds and Other Matters, Cafe Poetique, Selected Audio Readings and Selected Photography Works
After many years of working as a scientist, writing papers and books, editing journals and thinking and living as a scientist, I am used to articulating my thoughts and conclusions, although not my feelings, in a rigorous and dignified way; indeed in what some might describe as a turgid, impersonal way. In most scientific arenas there is no room for sentiment, unproven facts and personal bias.
That had to change, as I wanted to express myself in a different way, without affecting my professional style or, indeed, my reputation. How could I do this? I am Welsh, but my Celtic heritage had, until quite recently, been only a nascent influence on my life. So there was the answer, perhaps; the poetry of the bards, the lyrical sentences of the Celtic style, had no pretentions to scientific formality – it was just uninhibited expression of thought. [CONTINUE READING]
Hiraeth and Ubuntu are words, in Welsh and Nguni respectively, that are complex and difficult to translate into English. Hiraeth is a longing for one’s homeland, but is more than homesickness; it is an expression of one’s bond with their home country, [CONTINUE READING]
For many years, I have written about medical matters (mostly related to medical engineering) in research papers, reviews, books, opinions and so on. These texts have had to be precise and factual, usually without recourse to the freedom of [CONTINUE READING]
There are strong defenders of the primacy of the written word. There are also those who vehemently support the mantra that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’. I personally believe that there is a powerful argument in favor of the synergy may be [CONTINUE READING]
Our hosted events of poetry, spoken word and wine at Ebony in Franschhoek.
I intend placing new or additional photographs here over time. Sometimes themes emerge from such collections, although not always. I tend to focus either on collections of natural objects, or scenes involving water and clouds, or the expressions of individuals.
Sheffield Place,
Winston-Salem,
North Carolina, USA
Sheffield Place, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
Sala Kahli, Franschhoek,
South Africa
Sala Kahli, Franschhoek, South Africa
