One of my very-special math-poetry connections -- and a frequent sharer of new poems with me -- is Gregory Coxson, Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Recently he sent me the poem "Math Class" by Poet Mary Crow -- a poem that deals with the role of women in math. I offer its opening lines below, followed by a link to the complete poem. (A good poem to stimulate class discussion of the currently-growing status of women in math.)
Math Class by Mary Crow
Somehow that shriveled arm
seemed the perfect arm
for tracing the odd shapes of geometry
in white on our black chalkboard
showing us a woman could do
this unwomanly thing
and sometimes a girl would let out a giggle
almost like a pig squeak
and our teacher would stop, chalk
in her lifted hand
and her back would stiffen
as she turned and glared at us
then returned
to tracing out her mysteries
we girls thought
meant math is for old maids . . .
Crow's complete poem is available online here at poets.org.
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