Good one! You are such a fine poet. And you draw upon a wealth of experience. Especially as a teacher. I've done a bit of that myself. Not math though. I feel sure there will be a lot of remedial math students one day. You hae to learn this stuff sooner or later.
I really liked this poem. I read it with a little smirky smile on my face. You really did a good job using the "three time's a charm" and "three strikes you're out"...working the first one into the other. It worked out really well.
Another old one. It's supposed to be centered. Blogspot won't let me. I'm considering moving this blog to Wordpress.
The Shape of Death a jazzaree
Dead on the porch. Mrs. Jackson's blood puddles, throat slit. Exlover flees the scene, chased off by Dominic. The boy holds his mother gently. Life drains away from mother and son, one dead, one wishes to be. Dominic moves in with his father, returns to school. In my classroom, Geometry, I do not want to treat him differently from other students. But he has his own geometry. He has seen the shape violence takes, angles sharpened, all sides dead.
Seeing death or worse yet, murder definitely changes the psyche and inner life of a child. An adult, too, but a child is still growing those angles and shaping their reality. And it definitely would alter their personality in some way...Well written poem.
sometimes those angles can be cutting vic. sometimes we just go round and round. heeyyyyyy my dog did eat my homework once, for real. don't know how she swallowed all that dry dusty history - " one, two, three, four, can i have a little more " - the beatles - love paul.
half of two wont do i'm less than one without you time seems so unbearably long without you counting out your mistakes and all the things that went wrong no time for double takes the number of tears would fill many lakes drowned in silence and many fears spent all my pounds and pence keep banging my head till life makes sense counting one....two.....three.....four before getting out of bed should i stay or should i go behind the cloud a single sun ray always something in the city usually something quite loud named and numbered........it ain't pretty.
The last line didn't quite make it for me, and I did like all the rest of the poem. "Always the city brightens me," for instance might fit that space. The pretty sounds forced to me. Fine poem otherwise.
thanks tash. just trying to make the point that we all have numbers instead of names nowadays. there are at least a dozen sets of numbers, that if i couldn't remember them, my life just wouldn't function. it needed a short second verse, but i was pushed for time. the numbers on the clock meant i had to leave - love - paul.
thanks wolfie. had to do the " one! two!! three!!! four!!!! " thing at my gig last night before we did a cover of " blitzkreig bop " by the ramones..phew!! my drummer wasn't drunk - love - paul.
I love your plays on words and how you work stuff around from the beginning to the end in such a fun way! I had to read it a couple of times because the first read left me saying.."huh?" Then the second time around I just shook my head and smiled saying …:"yep, that's my Bonnie"
excellent bonita. compairing bingo to life. i've gone for the full house and jackpot a few times. ended up with a big flat of zero. but we keep trying don't we - love - paul.
there's nothing worse than math to drive a person crazy because math is supposed to be logical but without rules you just can't do it!
And you have to remember each of the rules because if you forget one, someplace in your equation, you will never, ever find the correct conclusion in the maze, of numbers
But the worst thing that puzzles me is that elusive number, zero and when you use zero in exponents the world turns inside out
now 25 times 1 equals 25 but, the problem is almost dimensional because, 25 to the power of zero... equals twenty-five..and that is crazy
How am I supposed to think mathematically (and I do not do it anymore!) there are just to many rules to remember and my brain isn't made that way
one of the many things that bug me about mathematics is using time in equations. there is no proof that anything called time even exists. it's an abstract concept, so people get to work on time and watch manufactures stay open. you can define electricity, plasma, gravity etc, but no one has ever adequately defined time to me - thinking too much - love paul.
I too find myself very confused concerning math, Geometry was my awful stumbling block--never wanted to stick to the rules! Yet sometimes it makes Perfect sense, strangely! Like your excellent poem!
I was taken by our thought about time and this is the result! Hope nobody minds...Definitions of Time
Time can be spent, yet you never get your change back. How do I count my minutes when they melt before I can grasp them? Time slips through my fingers like water; I cannot hold onto it no matter how I try.
Yet count five minutes holding your breath or waiting to pee. Which is longer? Then do the same eating ice cream in the sun before it melts. Hurry, if you can. How long do you have? How long does it take? Time is an anomaly without a basis for comparison.
i think five minutes waiting to pee is longer tash ha ha. though while waiting for the delayed train to newcastle in the snow time seemed to stop and my watch woundn't turn....it probably just got frozen. why do good times flash by like a spark, but bad times linger like a bad smell - love - paul.
I'm completely caught up in the story of Willem and the Werewolf, so don't count on me for new stuff, although you never know. But can I show off a little? This goes back to my days at Iowa. I spent two years floundering, not knowing what I was doing. None of my poems was even good enough for the in class worksheet. then suddenly it all came together, and I wrote this poem and two more about my experience as a mental patient. They were accepted for the class worksheet, and then...they were accepted and published in Poetry Magazine! So here's the showing off part. A link to Poetry's archives. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?contentId=29643
One is one and Two is two, or are they both the same? I wonder. Math's a mystery to me, and makes my poor brain tear asunder. and yet sometimes it makes some sense when I must measure pounds and pence-- except when Euros are the rule and then alas, it's back to school.
euro's and the metric system were only brought in to confuse me tash. one is a lonely number..i remember spending ages in maths class learning how to calculate the internal angles of triangles.....why?? i'm 51 and nobody has ever handed me a triangle and said " can you calculate the internal angles of this please ". they should teach kids useful things at school, like that love is very dangerous and how to rip off the evil city council - thanks tash - love paul.
An old one. I admit, I saw this prompt and said, hey, I have a bunch of those. LOL.
ReplyDeleteThree
His third try at Algebra, Mike requests
a book number with threes in it. Third time's
the charm, he tells me they say. They do, but
three days later, he flashes impish blue eyes,
smirks, My dog ate my homework. I smile back,
mark zero in my grade book. I've heard that
one too. Now get to work. If three cell phone
companies have different rates, which one
is best for you? What percent of paychecks
go to taxes? How much interest will you
pay over 30 years to own a home?
Mike's dog gorges on word problems
while text messaging takes priority
for this boy who thinks a man doesn't think
he needs Algebra to find solutions.
Mike wants to pass this class using only
third time charm. After all, that's what they say.
They say a lot... like... Three strikes and you're out.
so much truth and sad how students look at math these days... and practically any other subject. well written!
DeleteGood one! You are such a fine poet. And you draw upon a wealth of experience. Especially as a teacher. I've done a bit of that myself. Not math though. I feel sure there will be a lot of remedial math students one day. You hae to learn this stuff sooner or later.
DeleteI really liked this poem. I read it with a little smirky smile on my face. You really did a good job using the "three time's a charm" and "three strikes you're out"...working the first one into the other. It worked out really well.
DeleteLove this.
DeleteAnother old one. It's supposed to be centered. Blogspot won't let me. I'm considering moving this blog to Wordpress.
ReplyDeleteThe Shape of Death
a jazzaree
Dead
on the porch. Mrs. Jackson's blood puddles,
throat slit.
Exlover flees the scene, chased off by
Dominic.
The boy holds his mother gently.
Life drains away
from mother and son, one dead,
one wishes to be.
Dominic moves in with
his father, returns to
school. In my classroom,
Geometry, I do not
want to treat him
differently from other students.
But he has
his own geometry. He has seen
the shape
violence takes, angles sharpened, all sides
dead.
omg! so powerful!
DeleteAh,vivid and sad.
DeleteSeeing death or worse yet, murder definitely changes the psyche and inner life of a child. An adult, too, but a child is still growing those angles and shaping their reality. And it definitely would alter their personality in some way...Well written poem.
Deletesometimes those angles can be cutting vic. sometimes we just go round and round. heeyyyyyy my dog did eat my homework once, for real. don't know how she swallowed all that dry dusty history - " one, two, three, four, can i have a little more " - the beatles - love paul.
ReplyDelete2 x 2 = 5
ReplyDeletehalf of two wont do
i'm less than one
without you
time seems so unbearably long
without you counting out your mistakes
and all the things that went wrong
no time for double takes
the number of tears
would fill many lakes
drowned in silence
and many fears
spent all my pounds and pence
keep banging my head
till life makes sense
counting one....two.....three.....four
before getting out of bed
should i stay
or should i go
behind the cloud
a single sun ray
always something in the city
usually something quite loud
named and numbered........it ain't pretty.
good write... sad but real...
DeleteThe last line didn't quite make it for me, and I did like all the rest of the poem. "Always the city brightens me," for instance might fit that space. The pretty sounds forced to me. Fine poem otherwise.
Deletethanks bonita. might do a " one, two, three, four! " poem after my gig tonight....if my drummer isn't too drunk on 1,2,3,4,5 beers - love - paul.
Deletethanks tash. just trying to make the point that we all have numbers instead of names nowadays. there are at least a dozen sets of numbers, that if i couldn't remember them, my life just wouldn't function. it needed a short second verse, but i was pushed for time. the numbers on the clock meant i had to leave - love - paul.
DeleteYou gave us some sad imagery here. It left me with sad, heavy eyes.
Deletethanks wolfie. had to do the " one! two!! three!!! four!!!! " thing at my gig last night before we did a cover of " blitzkreig bop " by the ramones..phew!! my drummer wasn't drunk - love - paul.
Delete2 X 0 = 0
ReplyDeleteIf you play Bingo on face book
you know sometimes you get 2X your score
sometimes your score is zilch! zero
And 2X zero is still zero
some people live their lives
like the game of Bingo
take a gamble or a chance
they won't end up with 2X zero
Some lucky ones will win the big prize
get through life with all the riches
win each time they play the game
Never get that 2X zero
So we continue to play
regardless of the odds
but one day it all ends
and everyone gets 2X zero
I love your plays on words and how you work stuff around from the beginning to the end in such a fun way! I had to read it a couple of times because the first read left me saying.."huh?" Then the second time around I just shook my head and smiled saying …:"yep, that's my Bonnie"
DeleteTrue That, as they say! Well done indeed, very cleverly done too.
Deleteexcellent bonita. compairing bingo to life. i've gone for the full house and jackpot a few times. ended up with a big flat of zero. but we keep trying don't we - love - paul.
ReplyDeletethere's nothing worse than math
ReplyDeleteto drive a person crazy
because math is supposed to be logical
but without rules you just can't do it!
And you have to remember each of the rules
because if you forget one, someplace
in your equation, you will never, ever
find the correct conclusion in the maze, of numbers
But the worst thing that puzzles me
is that elusive number, zero
and when you use zero in exponents
the world turns inside out
now 25 times 1 equals 25 but,
the problem is almost dimensional
because, 25 to the power of zero...
equals twenty-five..and that is crazy
How am I supposed to think mathematically
(and I do not do it anymore!)
there are just to many rules to remember
and my brain isn't made that way
lol! as logical as math is it can be so confusing!
Deleteone of the many things that bug me about mathematics is using time in equations. there is no proof that anything called time even exists. it's an abstract concept, so people get to work on time and watch manufactures stay open. you can define electricity, plasma, gravity etc, but no one has ever adequately defined time to me - thinking too much - love paul.
DeleteI too find myself very confused concerning math, Geometry was my awful stumbling block--never wanted to stick to the rules! Yet sometimes it makes Perfect sense, strangely! Like your excellent poem!
DeleteI was taken by our thought about time and this is the result! Hope nobody minds...Definitions of Time
DeleteTime can be spent,
yet you never get your change back.
How do I count my minutes
when they melt before I can grasp them?
Time slips through my fingers like water;
I cannot hold onto it no matter how I try.
Yet count five minutes holding your breath
or waiting to pee. Which is longer?
Then do the same eating ice cream in the sun
before it melts. Hurry, if you can. How long
do you have? How long does it take?
Time is an anomaly without a basis for comparison.
i think five minutes waiting to pee is longer tash ha ha. though while waiting for the delayed train to newcastle in the snow time seemed to stop and my watch woundn't turn....it probably just got frozen. why do good times flash by like a spark, but bad times linger like a bad smell - love - paul.
DeleteI'm completely caught up in the story of Willem and the Werewolf, so don't count on me for new stuff, although you never know.
ReplyDeleteBut can I show off a little? This goes back to my days at Iowa. I spent two years floundering, not knowing what I was doing. None of my poems was even good enough for the in class worksheet. then suddenly it all came together, and I wrote this poem and two more about my experience as a mental patient. They were accepted for the class worksheet, and then...they were accepted and published in Poetry Magazine!
So here's the showing off part. A link to Poetry's archives.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?contentId=29643
Stunning!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMathematical Conundrum for Paul F.
ReplyDeleteOne is one and Two is two,
or are they both the same? I wonder.
Math's a mystery to me,
and makes my poor brain tear asunder.
and yet sometimes
it makes some sense
when I must measure
pounds and pence--
except when Euros are the rule
and then alas, it's back to school.
euro's and the metric system were only brought in to confuse me tash. one is a lonely number..i remember spending ages in maths class learning how to calculate the internal angles of triangles.....why?? i'm 51 and nobody has ever handed me a triangle and said " can you calculate the internal angles of this please ". they should teach kids useful things at school, like that love is very dangerous and how to rip off the evil city council - thanks tash - love paul.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the comment. Not sure how much good my geometry lessons did me either.
Delete