English writer G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936) was a poet but was better known for his pithy sayings. For example, we have the following statement (originally found here).
The
difference
between the poet
and the mathematician
is that the poet tries to get
his head into the heavens
while the mathematician
tries to get the heavens
into his head.
Alas, Chesterton's comment obeys the common assumption that the male pronoun should be used for mathematicians. Another poetic comment on mathematicians is found in a poem by Anthony Hecht -- "Mathematics Considered As a Vice" -- available here at PoetryFoundation.org. Hecht's poem offers a strongly negative view of the abstract nature of mathematics.
Rivalry between mathematics and poetry comes to a head in April -- during which we will celebrate both "National Mathematics Awareness Month" and "National Poetry Month."
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