On the Deaths of Philosophers.(Poem)

 
ON THE DEATHS OF PHILOSOPHERS 
For Katie studying Philosophy 
 
   SOCRATES, tried for corrupting young people, was 
     sentenced to death by the state. 
   Giordano BRUNO was burned by the Catholic 
     Church--a most horrible fate! 
   SENECA stoically opened a vein when he 
     finally quarrelled with Nero. 
   BONHOEFFER said he was timid by nature, but 
     faced up to death like a hero. 
   Viennese SCHLICK was shot dead by a mad Nazi 
     student whose thesis he ploughed. 
   Pagan HYPATIA, SO learned and witty, got 
     stoned by a Christian crowd. 
       Yet by and large, and it's proven statistically, 
           incontrovertibly 
           proven statistically 
         life does philosophers proud. 
 
   GODEL was so fearful of poison he starved, having 
     lived all his life rather prissily. 
   EMPEDOCLES, much more intrepid, jumped into a 
     smoking volcano in Sicily. 
   Gentle PYTHAGORAS died in a fire, or a battle, 
     according to source. 
   WHEWELL, the polymath Master of Trinity, 
     died when he ...