By Edward Teller
He only wrote A, B, F, H, S. The rest were written by @disumbrationist on Reddit.
A stands for atom; it is so small
No one has ever seen it at all.
B stands for bomb; the bombs are much bigger,
So, brother, do not be too fast on the trigger.
C stands for control; it’s what we must maintain
To keep the power of atoms from causing much pain.
D stands for detonation, a sound that we fear.
Let’s not let our weapons get the best of us, my dear.
E stands for energy, the power of the sun.
It’s what keeps us alive, but it can also be won.
F stands for fission; that is what things do
When they get wobbly and big and must split in two.
And just to confound the atomic confusion
What fission has done may be undone by fusion.
G stands for gamma; the most energetic ray.
It can do great damage, so be sure to keep it at bay.
H has become a most ominous letter;
It means something bigger, if not something better.
I stands for isotope, unstable and rare.
A danger to all, if not handled with care.
J stands for jolt, the sudden shock
Of an atomic blast, a terrible knock.
K stands for knowledge; knowledge is power.
But be careful what you learn, or it could devour.
L is for light, the radiant glow.
It’s the byproduct of atoms, and it’s beautiful to know.
M stands for morality; the ethics of war.
Is the destruction of others worth it anymore?
N is for nuclear; it’s the force that we fear.
But harnessed for good, it can bring us all cheer.
O is for orbit; it’s where atoms reside.
Moving in circles, they never collide.
P is for particle; it’s tiny and unseen.
But it holds immense power, as we’ve all come to glean.
Q is for quantum, the strange world of the small.
Where particles behave in a way we can’t predict at all.
R is for radiation, a hidden and deadly force.
It can harm and kill us, if we’re not on our guard of course.
S stands for secret; you can keep it forever
Provided there’s no one abroad who is clever.
T is for technology, advancing each day.
But with great power comes great responsibility, they say.
U stands for uranium, the key to our power.
We must use it wisely, or face a deadly hour.
V stands for vapor; it rises in steam
As the bomb explodes, it’s the first to be seen.
W stands for warning, to heed with care
Before the world is consumed by despair.
X is for the unknown, the mysteries we seek
In the world of atoms, where secrets are deep.
Y stands for yield, the power of the blast.
The destruction it brings will be unsurpassed.
Z stands for zero, the end of our race
If we misuse atomic power, and leave no trace.