Mathematics

Lawrence S. Pertillar 1947 (Connecticut)



It seems to have been,
A miscalculated...
Teaching of a taught practice.
To pick on those perceived down and out.
Done to further kick around.
With a taunting as if to enjoy.

However...
Time and the weather,
Are such unpredictable occurrences.
Making planned activities and events,
Observed to witness them change.
In a direction not to expect,
The sudden effectiveness.
Unable to prevent them to come.

Then it happens.
A returning back the taste.
Of what had been served to initiate.
Bitter.

Leaving the ones accustomed,
To being kicked around...
Looking up and not down.
Upon their adversaries.
Not at all.
Only walking tall to ignore,
Those on the ground and surrounded...
By their own humiliation.
Denying to declare themselves to be,
Victims.

'It doesn't add up.
How is it possible,
You can say to claim being victimized?
When it has been obvious,
To make it known.
And by you.
A doing to instigate and participated,
In your own downfall?
Had been the best choice to make.
What explanation,
Can you possibly give...
To believe acceptable?!
For such a devastating mistake.'

'Well...
I was led to believe and told,
I needed algebra as a pre-requisite.
And mathematics like history,
Was pointless to my quality of life.'

'Incredible are these excuses today made.
And this...
You continue to believe?'

'Of course I do.
Wouldn't you?
If that's all you knew to know?'

'Me?
I can not answer that.
I had been told I was a fool.
Until one day it dawned on me,
I had to prove to myself...
How many options and opportunities,
Were offered and easily obtained...
For fools like me.
And...
You know what I discovered?'

'What?'

'The more I adventured,
To endeavor that effort...
To prove I was a fool?
There was no one I could convince,
I would actually admit being that stupid!
So I then began to spend my time,
Using my own mind.'

'And...
Then,
What did you find?'

'Nothing is blissful,
About an ignorance to stay...
Faithful and committed to it.
And that I learned from observation!
Along with who accepted and approved,
My stupidity to their advantage.'

'So...
What are you saying?'

'Learn how to both add and subtract.
With a doing to know,
What to use for you is more beneficial!
Since these days,
One must be prepared for reality.
And the many ways that is interpreted.'

'But...
What about being normal?'

'Normal?
What does that mean and where is it at?
Stick with mathematics.
I guarantee you will have better results.
Up is up and down is down.
North is not South.
Neither is East the West!
And a Rose is a Rose is a Rose.'
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Submitted by lpahtillah on March 10, 2022

Modified on March 05, 2023

2:48 min read
4

Quick analysis:

Scheme xabxcx ddxxxxbx xxxd xcefgxhijx xkxbxlhgmixkm xxnjx xxx llo jpqjxfxjRx axqxhxs Rxs kxxixx ox xokxjh nk kpxxexxx
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 2,539
Words 559
Stanzas 16
Stanza Lengths 6, 8, 4, 10, 13, 5, 3, 3, 10, 7, 3, 6, 2, 6, 2, 8

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