What does 7 + 5 = 12 have to do with metaphor and consonance? After attending a poetry reading and workshop by Earl S. Braggs I learned that, although mathematics and poetry are two different languages, when they bisect each other they create a complementary algebra of the heart and mind.

Here’s an example of Braggs’ use of math in his poem, “In Which Language Do I Keep Silent”, the title poem of his most recent collection, In Which Language Do I Keep Silent, new and selected poems by Earl S. Braggs, Anhinga Press, 2006 (1). I had the wonderful experience of hearing him recite this poem at the reading – his gentle voice and subtle, personal rhythms infused his work, carrying the audience to a different place and time. We entered the poet’s world.

I know that if a number is raised to the first power,
the exponent is usually not written.
I know that the absolute value of a number
is that number without a sign. Without a sign,
there’s no way to tell who I am.
Tonight I will not give any indications. I know that

the angular velocity of your movement is too beautiful to name,
and I’ve come to recognize you, the dancer’s moon,
in the sad straight lines of my own poetry.

The prompt for this week is to incorporate mathematics into a poem. Here are some suggestions:
• Like Earl S. Braggs’ poem, try mixing mathematical language, such as exponents, absolute value, signs or equations.
• Write a poem whose form is based on math, such as the Fibonacci sequence or Pi.
• Write about your relationship to the study of math. For some it’s a sublime subject, but for others numbers represent an arcane language not easily understood.
• Look for shapes in nature, in buildings and in the human form. Base your poem on the geometrical configurations in your world. Think of cylinders, triangles, spheres, quadrilaterals and even the everyday circle and square.
• Write some lines using meter, which are the audible representation of numerical patterns. Think music.
• Try repeating an equation throughout the poem as a refrain.

Tips for collaborating:
• One writer can supply a mathematical equation for one verse, and the other can respond with a line that reflects the equation in poetic images or feelings.
• Write a poem pairing shapes with objects, each poet alternating words or lines.
• Swap math words with each other to build into the poem. Each of you could write a poem of five to ten lines, and then combine the two by alternating stanzas or lines.

Remember, your math doesn’t have to add up! The beauty of poetry is the message between the numbers, lines or words.

Let’s poem!

~ Christine, the Prompt Queen

(1) Published with permission.