How I may introduce Silicon,
as the sand we are walking on?
As the building material,
everywhere and fundamental.

Silicon is more than sand on the beach,
it is the second common within worlds reach,
With silicates and minerals not rare,
it is in most cases, that what is out there.

The pure element is something inbetween,
it is one of the semiconductor kin.
Which means not yet a metal for sure,
but not entirly unmetallic even if pure.

That is a electrochemical interpretation,
which does not give an explaination.
It is below Carbon in the periodic table,
so in principle to similar things able.

It is heaver and not that flexible,
which makes it robust and stable.
Its reaction products seldom liquified,
and its spectrum or reactions very wide.

It is very keen on oxygen,
with sulphur it barely can,
until humans force the reaction,
with energy we get a connection.

Through this intense preferation,
the pure element realization,
was a difficult story once again,
achieved by a Swedish man.

Jöns Jacob Berzelius was the one,
a competition amongst others he won.
The name Silicium was suggested,
but as no metallic behaviour was tested.

Berzelius chose to go for Silicon,
in analogy to Boron and Carbon.
German chemists went for the Silicium,
the metal ending as ferrum or chromium.

Who could have guessed that both were right,
but this matter did not so long ago enlight.
The „Silicon“ age was declared,
as from Silicon semiconductors were prepared.

It dominated and fired the technical revolution,
in terms of high tech and computer evolution.
Microchips and transistor application,
Silicon high purity with dopand manipulation.

Silicon is the backbone of technology,
and with that of a whole industry,
Another application is glass,
and we are talking about the mass.

Whatever you place on the table,
from cheap to luxury lable,
at least the most common ware,
and essential that Silicon is not rare.

Glass wool or fiber glass for data transport,
isolation or high speed internet comfort,
But not only material significance,
it plays a role in humans and plants.

In humans you can essentially find silicon,
in hair, nail and all of our bone.
And it is needed for blood vessle flexibility,
elastin and collagen integrity,

In plants Silicon is required for structure,
it is a cell wall, and fiber constructor.
Defending them against insect herbivory,
and infections through resistant morphology.

In theory life could work based on Silicon,
an inorganic life without any Carbon,
Besides sponges it is a sci-fi theory,
but imaging all the possibilty.

The magnificient Silicon is the backbone,
earth itself, such as the structure of lifeform,
It is the basis for technology and digitalization,
everyday article or beatiful mineralization.

It teaches us to be structured,
not preoccupied and not fractured,
to be strong, be fantastic and flexible,
Silicon is as multitalent incredible.