Testing is for you - TestBash Manchester 2019
22 Jul 2026
This poem was performed by me at TestBash Manchester 2019 as a 99-second talk and was inspired by Tony Walsh’s Take This Pen. If you want to hear a real poet, please use the link. It is beautiful. If you want to hear my less worthy version, go to 17:53. Please ignore my shaky hands (again).
Testing is for You
To the curious, who want to know more
That are not, afraid to explore
That knock, on every closed door
Testing is for you
To the one who won’t, buy what’s sold
The one, who questions, what you’re told
There are no silly questions
But those, that strike gold
Testing is for you
To the frustrated, who don’t know why
It’s so hard, to try, and try
To use things, who just want to buy
Testing is for you
To those, where tech gets in the way
To those who have lots to say
Bad design means they won’t stay
Testing is for you
To she and her, he and him
They and them, all welcomed in
The more diverse, the more we win
Testing is for you
To those who don’t know what to do
A bright career can still come true
Everyone here, is here, for you
Testing is for you
To the geek, the nerd, the shy ones too
An inclusive community waits for you
You’ll feel loved, and welcomed. I know I do
Testing is for you
Ady Stokes
Freelance Consultant
He / Him
MoT Ambassador. Currently semi-retired and freelancing. I am, amongst other things, a writer, speaker, and accessibility advocate. Leeds Chapter Lead. MoT Certs curator and article editor for WonderProxy. Testing wisdom, friendly, testing songs and poems. Great minds think differently. STEC and SQEC Certified. Struggling to write a book about testing mindsets and thinking's application in software development.
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