But the Schmirk didn't stop at that — "No," he averred,
"I'll stop any funding for even one Nerd!"
So he called in his minions again, did the Schmirk,
And said "Find me proof that THEIR nano WON'T WORK!"

So his minions at once hurried back to their labs,
And prodded and poked what they had on their slabs,
And dickered and whined till their voices were shrill,
And returned to the Schmirk and said, "Sorry... IT WILL!"

But the Schmirk wasn't flustered. "No problem," he said.
If I can't find the proof, I'll invent it, instead!
So he stuffed up a strawman or two, very fat,
and blustered importantly, right through his hat.
He baited and switched! He insulted and slurred!
He postured and pandered — but spoke not a word
Of a technical nature; the crafty Schmirk knew
How to stay off the subject of what's really true.

So he jawboned and backbit and spread innuendo,
And claimed the Nerds were just playing Nintendo;
It was just science fiction, religion, and games;
While calling them "dreamers" and other bad names.

So the Schmirk got the funding — he got ALL the money.
No bureaucrat noticed that something was funny:
He'd promised them nanotech wonders and fun,
telling everyone else that it couldn't be done!

Then the Schmirk took the money, with morals quite stinky,
back to do yesterday's science ... how dinky!

Then a funny thing happened — in labs the world over,
People saw that TRUE nano could put them in clover.
So in spite of the ridicule, quashing their fears,
They soon started building molecular gears,
Also bearings and shafts — with no help from the voters,
The next thing you saw was molecular motors.

Then came the announcement, with no warning tremblor,
Someone had successfully built an assembler!

The Schmirk was astounded, as if by a blast;
He hadn't stopped nano — just made US come last.

And then, for what may be the first time that year,
A new thought occured — and it wiped out his sneer:
For while, as the Schmirk stood and wrestled the thought,
He learned what for years he'd pretended he'd taught:
What if knowledge and science were not just a game?
Maybe truth — for its own sake — was better than fame?

And then the true meaning of science burst through,
And the Schmirk realized something the Nerds always knew:
Nature's book never closes. The knowledge is there
For any who'll read it — if only we dare.

T'isn't quite clear what happened; but some people say
That the Schmirk's tiny brain grew three sizes that day.
So he hurriedly went to the lab, it appears,
To work on molecular motors and gears.

So he now helps humanity reach for the stars,
And he himself — the Schmirk —
built the first house on Mars.

More commentary on Howard Lovy's NanoBot.