Poetry Friday - Sandburg and Math (More Than Just Arithmetic)

I know some readers saw math in the title and ran. What do math and poetry have in common? Since I've been working on a sonnet, I'm counting syllables and looking at rhyme patterns. If that isn't math, I don't know what is. I suppose I see connections between math and poetry the way I see connections between math and music, math and art, math and science and on and on. Math is simply everywhere.

Since I'm still planning my math class for spring (classes start in just 10 days), I do have math on the brain. So today I'm sharing some mathematically oriented poetry by Carl Sandburg.

How Much?
How much do you love me, a million bushels?
Oh, a lot more than that, Oh, a lot more.

And to-morrow maybe only half a bushel?
To-morrow maybe not even a half a bushel.

And is this your heart arithmetic?
This is the way the wind measures the weather.

Child Margaret

The child Margaret begins to write numbers on a Saturday morn-
    ing, the first numbers formed under her wishing child fin-
    gers.
All the numbers come well-born, shaped in figures assertive for a
    frieze in a child’s room.
Both 1 and 7 are straightforward, military, filled with lunge and
    attack, erect in shoulder-straps.
The 6 and 9 salute as dancing sisters, elder and younger, and 2 is
    a trapeze actor swinging to handclaps.
All the numbers are well-born, only 3 has a hump on its back and
    8 is knock-kneed.
The child Margaret kisses all once and gives two kisses to 3 and
    8.
(Each number is a bran-new rag doll … O in the wishing fingers
     … millions of rag dolls, millions and millions of new rag
    dolls!!)

I'm also quite fond of Sandburg's Arithmetic. It begins this way.

Arithmetic is where numbers fly like pigeons in and out of your head.

Arithmetic tell you how many you lose or win if you know how many you had before you lost or won.

Arithmetic is seven eleven all good children go to heaven -- or five six bundle of sticks.

Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.

Alkelda the Gleeful highlighted this poem quite a while ago. You should read it in its entirety. (Sadly, the video link is no longer working.)

If you want to learn more about math and poetry, read this entry.

The round-up today is at A Year of Reading. Do head on over and check out the great poetry this week. Happy poetry Friday, all!