Explorers

Those who know mathematics but do not immerse in it daily often use its terms in contexts that surprise and delight.  I smiled with appreciation when I found, in Issue 25 (December 2011-2012) of 6x6, "The Life of Explorers" by Fani Papageorgiou ;  Ugly Duckling Presse has given me permission to include parts II, IV, and VI (of eleven parts) here.

from    The Life of Explorers     by Fani Papageorgiou

     II.     On the Method of Trial and Error

If a dog with a long stick in its jaws wants to get through a door,
he will twist and turn his head until he achieves his goal.

What is mathematics to animals?

In a playfully serious volume of verses by Eugene Ostashevsky we meet his alter ego, the "new philosopher" DJ Spinoza.  With the intelligence and bravery of the other philosopher-Spinoza (Baruch / Benedict, 1632 - 1677), Ostachevsky's Spinoza pokes a bit of fun at things that might be taken too seriously -- such as logic or mathematics or . . .  

Perpendicularity -- a symmetric relation

     In 2010 both my October 13 and November 20 posts feature small poems by the French poet Guillevic (1909-97). Strongly drawn to his work, I have purchased the collection Geometries (Englished by Richard Sieburth, Ugly Duckling Presse, 2010); Guillevic has found in each geometric figure a personality and a voice. Buy the book and enjoy! Here is one of my favorites from the collection:    

Minimal poem from Saroyan

This poem appears in Complete Minimal Poems by Aram Saroyan (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2007).  Another of Saroyan's minimal poems was posted on November 9.

More from Guillevic

     My October 13 post presented three small poems by the French poet Guillevic (1909-97).  Strongly drawn to his work, I have purchased the collection Geometries (translated by Richard Sieburth, Ugly Duckling Presse, 2010);  Guillevic has found in each geometric figure a personality and a voice.  Buy the book and enjoy!
     Here are three additional samples from Geometries:

Minimal Poem

This poem appears in Complete Minimal Poems by Aram Saroyan (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2007).