Showing posts with label instability. Show all posts
Showing posts with label instability. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Poems starring mathematicians - 4

Each of today's poems is in the voice of a student who looks back.  First, from Carol Dorf, a poem to the author of a book--written as a fan-letter, "Dear Ivar."   And then, for his hero (a special Grammar School teacher) by Czech poet and scientist Miroslav Holub (1923-98), "The Fraction Line."

       Dear Ivar,

       I read your book on the unexpected.
       Like most poets, I opposed mathematics
       when I was young, seeing it as the converse
       to feeling. The previous statement is false.