On the Mathematical Plainness of Poetry

The poet recognizes that no poetry is mathematically plain.

Leaves are numbered; they are numbers.

One

one, two, three, five…

 

Bones are measured from toe to skull.

No matter how far high

the skull may go, pulling itself from the toe,

the Yardstick never fails to say, Hi, I’m The Thigh.

 

 

In a day a turtle goes a thousand paces.

 

Galaxies are numbered; they are numbers.

One

one, two, three, five…

 

An

oyster’s

shell goes

around by numbers.

One, one, two, three, five…

 

In a day a turtle goes a thousand paces.

 

Art also is numbers.

But

there is delight in disorder:

 

In a day a turtle goes a thousand paces.

Reviews

[Shellie]

Its very different, which is great. And i liked it!

[miSS LEaf]

i've been looking for something different, something i've never heard/read/seen before, i think your poems are ones of those :) ooh and i love leaves and turtles

[Kerry O'Connor]

Poets have spent an awful number of hours counting, counting syllables, lines, stresses, meter, beat, rhyme. Numbers, numbers... I feel a bit like that ol' turtle: Do I get to stop before I take step 1001?

[Molly]

I usually write really long reviews, but all I have to say here is I love this! You have talent!

[Rc R. Vagilidad]

everything is numbered. The word "everything" itself has 10 words in it, and "EVERYTHING" is just way too many, but its numbered. you just don't have to count, foolishly true (try to rememeber "CPA" - a certain FILIPINO awkward scapegoat).

i guess you skipped 4. isn't it nice to have it back there to counting? no, just kidding. every poet has it's intent to mesmerize and veil some truth out of nothing - out of rules perhaps.

i had fun reading, like skipping and bending bones. jumping and reading poems.
the flow of your poetry is splendid. that's the word... splendid.

MAGNA CUM LAUDE!

i just can't ignore the turtle-parable-chick-flick-inspired line - nonetheless it's true.

[Bubo]

Intellectually and cleverly done, some might disagree.......but I agree, no mathematical reason for most poetry..........because poetry is a stem of ones soul, very enjoyable poem, clever.

[...]

. oh, sheer genius ... amazingly innovative ... and i love the turtle reference ... i was nicknamed slowly after a friend's rather slow pet tortoise ... :) ...