THE ELECTROMAGNETIC LITANY
Stations of the Spectrum
And there is light, before and beyond our vision, for which we give thanks.
And there is heat, for which we are humble.
And there is power, for which we count ourselves blessed
Blessed be Balmer, who gave us our wavelengths. Blessed be Bohr, who brought us understanding. Blessed be Lyman, who saw beyond sight.
Tell us now the stations of the spectrum.
Blessed be long radio waves, which oscillate slowly.
Blessed be broadcast waves, for which we thank Hertz.
Blessed be short waves, linkers of mankind, and blessed be microwaves.
Blessed be infrared, bearers of nourishing heat.
Blessed be visible light, magnificent in angstroms. (On high holidays only: Blessed be red, sacred to Doppler. Blessed be orange. Blessed be yellow, hallowed by Fraunhofer's gaze. Blessed be green. Blessed be blue for its hydrogen line. Blessed be indigo. Blessed be violet, flourishing with energy.)
Blessed be ultraviolet, with the richness of the sun.
Blessed be X rays, sacred to Roentgen, the prober within.
Blessed be the gamma, in all its power; blessed be the highest of frequencies.
We give thanks for Planck. We give thanks for Einstein. We give thanks in the highest for Maxwell.
In the strength of the spectrum, the quantum, and the holy angstrom, peace!