A milestone occurs today: the 20th wedding anniversary. It just so happens to coincide with the conclusion of my second dance at the Algebra Ball. (Yep, that was a pun.) Inspired by love for my husband (and love for the termination of Algebra), I’ve written a poem to memorialize this milestone. (to Keith – spoken words never really say it all for me, so I write them down, wrestle them around, to say what needs to be said: on this day – it’s the truth of three simple words.)

 

 

Algebraic Love: (when the solution is 20) 

Let x equal you

and y me

With the expression of these two

Equaling twenty

 

Now, an original equation altered

by events, blessed and burdened

Negative numbers: losses of Mom, Dad,

and mentor too

An equation unbalanced on days that we rue.

 

Then addition – as it always does –

increased our world:

The sum of us

divided by 2

yielded 1 just like me

and another-you

 

Then the radius of our circle grew long

and widened

a lamentable line of change

To joy in the jungle

And exponential growth in faith.

 

Now like Pi, our days stretch uncountable,

unknown before us

But each place after this point

Finds us always squared

(you² + me² = us²)

 

Together, compounding our interests

Finding our function

in a world where some problems

unsolvable

Push us to resolve

Our love

with the wisdom of the

always unerring Mathematician.

~achall