Parallel lines seep through the leaves. It highlights the perimeter of moss, a verdant tangent kissing the circumference of rocks and logs. Morning dew collects in an overturned mushroom umbrella, bending the light at a 45 degree angle. The reflection distracts a vibrant red cardinal from his song. He puffs out his chest, taking measured steps along the branch, before resuming his aria in the spotlight.
A grid of trees holds points of sunshine, a linear connection between time and purpose. At one vertex, a grateful squirrel pops out her head, inhaling fresh air, thinking of her cache of acorns. At another, a woodpecker begins a radius from bark through phloem to heartwood. The tap-tap-tapping sending perpendicular reverberations, intersecting the quiet morning light.
Morning’s right angles
Chords of sunshine connecting
The shape of nature
Catching up with Patrick’s Pic and a Word Challenge! This haibun incorporates #264 – Sunshine, #266 – Vibrance (I used “vibrant” instead), #267 – Light and #269 – Geometry. Geometry was one of my best subjects so this poem was a fun challenge! Can you find all the geometry terms?
I have always loved math even though after a time, the concepts started to elude me. This happened when I started high school, around the time when my head became filled with other things. I didn’t understand this phenomenon until I became an adult and studied it my feminist social work classes.
My older daughter (the author) turns 13 tomorrow. I see this process starting to happen to her – she is really good at math and science (she’s a whiz at computer coding) yet she claims she hates this subjects. She is only one of three girls in her private school class and I know she’s heard comments from other students when she is able to grasp a concept before others.
Nature can be cruel (as the saying goes), but nature is also full of beauty and wonder. This is also true of humans. We can chose what we focus on. We can chose what narrative governs our lives. I hope my girls can see the options and make the best choice.
©️ 2021 iido
Wonderful as usual, Irma. A magical combination of nature, poetry, and mathematics! As a retired CS prof, I hope your daughter continues to let her math abilities shine and expand. We can do both, arts and maths, but there are so many career opportunities for young women in IT and applied science. Our world of technology needs far more tech interface designers and project managers who are women. So encourage her to keep her options open for as long as she can. She’ll always be a writer, no matter what!
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I will pass on your great advice to my daughter. She needs to hear it from someone other than me. 🙄
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Love your poem Irma. A beautiful post! I agree we can choose what we focus on.
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Thanks so much, Sadje! ❤️
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You’re welcome my friend
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I am learning about how the mental focus uplifts or derails my day and life so this is especially poignant.. love the paradox in nature..
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Yes, what our mind focuses on can really make a difference. Thank you for your comment! 💐
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I second the comment made by Jane Fritz. It sounds like your daughter only “hates” STEM because of perverse social pressures that are still strong (tho weakening as the years pass).
The haibun here is a nice example of a point I made near the end of my own response to challenge #269. While we cannot experience the ideal perfection of geometric shapes as imagined by ancient Greeks, we CAN refer to the shapes when we tell each other stories about what we experience.
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Yes, quite true! I liked your “pictorial proof” of the Pythagorean theory – shapes definitely tell a story!
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Pingback: Whisper ~ Pic and a Word Challenge #270 – Pix to Words
Absolutely love this Irma, the warm golden rays and the eerie dead trees … it matches your words perfectly! 45 degree angle, right angles … there are many in there 🙂
Visited your talented daughters blog Irma!
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Thanks Kate! I let my inner nerd come out for this one. 😂 my daughter told me about your visit – she was thrilled that someone in Oz knew about her. Thanks so much for doing that! ❤️
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a pleasure Irma, she has talent … hope your life coaching goes well!
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Thanks, Kate! She is so excited when someone other than her mom comments. 😁
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has she shared with her school mates? I’m sure they will be suitably impressed 🙂
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