Poetry at its best uses words in new ways. Mathematics sometimes does that also. But for a poet to use mathematical terms in new ways can be risky. Nichita Stanescu (Romania, 1933 - 1983) was a poet unafraid to take that risk. Here is Sean Cotter's translation of Stanescu's "On the Life of Ptolemy" from the new and fine Stanescu collection, Wheel with a Single Spoke.
On the Life of Ptolemy by Nichita Stanescu
Ptolemy believed in the straight line,
It exists.
Count its points and, if you can,
tell me the number.
Showing posts with label straight line. Show all posts
Showing posts with label straight line. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Found in Flatland
Over the years I have shared with friends and students my copy of Edwin Abbott's Flatland (first published in England in 1884) and, alas, not all of these other readers have matched my level of excitement with the small volume. Even though the book's Victorian attitudes are mostly at odds with my own views, still the tiny book opened me to possibilities of new ways of seeing. Since observing the Flatlanders stuck in two dimensions from my advantageous three-dimensional position, I have wondered how I can now make the leap from three to four or more dimensions.
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