Secrets of Life in Science

my reflections of math in poetry

Photo by Pixabay

the science of form

reflects the arc of the sun

tracking through the sky.

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Numbers and logic satisfy me in a way that is difficult to describe. I like things to be organized, although that would surprise the people I live with.

When I came across the Fibonacci sequence, it was like discovering the secret key to nature. I like the idea that there’s an underlying logic in the natural world.

Fibonacci numbers are a string of numbers where each number is the sum of the two previous ones. The first two numbers are 0 and 1. The third number is 1 because 0+1=1. The fourth is 2 because 1+1=2. And so on. (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, etc).

The cool thing is these numbers and ratios are found in many ways in nature: the spiral of a snail, the patterns of petals of flowers, and seashells.

“I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew. Writing a poem is discovering.” Robert Frost

Here’s the challenge:

Write a poem that follows the Fibonacci sequence for the number of words (or syllables, if you prefer) in each line. The first six lines have 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8, words, and then it spirals back down 8,5,3,2,1, 1.

Here’s the full sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 5, 3, 2, 1, 1

Have fun and let the magic flow.

This challenge appeared magically on Medium, just a few weeks ago.

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If you enjoyed this poem, get my book, We Swallow Light. It’s an exploration of events in a past life and a refreshing take on overcoming pain and the joy of finding love.

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