Mathematician = Poetician ?

Of lately I have been reading many poetic blogs so couldn't help this seemingly "absurd" comparison emerge into my mind......

Karl Weierstrass who is often cited as the "father of modern analysis" once said:

"A mathematician who is not also something of a poet will never be a complete mathematician."

Some will condemn this to be rubbish but I say to such people they don't have that insight into a mathematicians brain nor a poets mind. What kinda stuff are we talking.....finding truth in the above quote......?

A person who has studied mathematics deeply enough will know the delight at an elegant proof, the same can be found on the face of a poet enchanted by the grace of a poem. Indeed a mathematical proof has a rhythmic structure which if probed reveals its musical and poetic beauty.

Ezra Pound who is known for his work in developing imagism has been quoted as saying:

"Poetry is a sort of inspired mathematics, which gives us equations, not for abstract figures, triangles, squares, and the like, but for the human emotions. If one has a mind which inclines to magic rather than science, one will prefer to speak of these equations as spells or incantations; it sounds more arcane, mysterious, recondite."

A mathematician's work has an artistic blend, and deep thoughts and mysticism of accurate guesses involved makes him stand on the same platform of a poet. Just as that of a poet his style is unique in expressing his words and thoughts in what is known as a 'proof'. Both live in an entirely different world of their creations.

Mathematics and art have a long historical relationship. 
Many think those who learn mathematics stand aloof from art and literature. Mathematics being too rigorous a subject is incapable of estimating the essence of nature and art. Yet this is not true at all. Mathematical ability easily transforms to artistic and poetic abilities and there have been great poets and mathematicians: Omar Khayyam, Raymond Queneau, Sarah Glaz and MarionCohen to name a few.

As for what is mathematics to nature, I say mathematics is fully embedded in nature. Let me tell you the role Fractals, Golden rectangles, spirals and Fibonacci numbers play in nature's creations. They occur mysteriously and naturally!!( In fact Fibonacci numbers have been called the nature's numbering system). 

Romanesco broccoli showing a

naturally occuring fractal.
For more on fractals click here.

Golden ratio($\phi$) [ defined by $\phi = 1+ \frac{1}{\phi}$] is approximately 1.6180339887.

The two divisions shown are in the golden ratio.
Click here for animation to see more illustrations of the Golden ratio.

A Golden spiral is a logarithmic spiral which gets wider by a factor of $\phi$, the Golden ratio for every quarter turn it makes.

 

Nautilus Shell cutaway showing the pattern to be the same as a Golden spiral

Even the finger prints have a Golden spiral  hidden in them! 

                                                 
Parethon, this ancient temple in Athens fits almost exactly in a Golden rectangle 

 The number of petals in commonly occuring flowers are terms of Fibonacci sequence:

3   petals  : Lily, Iris
5   petals  : Wildrose, Buttercup
8   petals  : Delphiniums
13 petals  : Ragwort, Cornmarigold
21 petals  : Chicory, Aster


What more? Golden ratio, rectangles, spirals are themselves related to Fibonacci numbers!! 


Isn't all this Amazing!! 

Let me end up with the poem Geometry (written by Rita Dove) that captures the ecstasy of discovery:

I prove a theorem and the house expands:
the windows jerk free to hover near the ceiling, 

the ceiling floats away with a sigh.

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NOTE:

Some interesting links and articles relating to poetry and mathematics can be found at the following blog :  http://poetrywithmathematics.blogspot.com

AAKANSH