PRIYANKA CHOHAN
I am a halogen.
A pale yellow-green gas who’s dangerously reactive,
With a pungent smell that’s definitely not attractive.
Derived from the Latin word fluere, meaning to flow,
I’m a rare find-being so difficult to discover you know.
Many have tried and failed in the past,
But Henri Moissan got me at last.
It was 1886 when I was finally freed,
Isolated by KHF2 in liquid HF-it took a while indeed!
I can launch you to space as I’m in your fuel,
As I’m highly explosive, but that’s what’s so cool!
I’m in your toothpaste and water supply too,
I’ll fight those cavities despite the controversial view.
I have many uses-I’m world famous you see,
The title for world’s most slippery solid goes to PTFE.
I am fluorine.
About the Author
I’m Priyanka, a second year Undergraduate student studying Chemistry at the University of Sheffield. I love to get involved with anything creative but don’t usually write poems, so here goes!