Get Started
Home Authors Tags

"شعر نوعی ریاضیات الهام گرفته شده است که به ما معادلاتی نمی‌دهد برای اشکال انتزاعی، مثلث‌ها، کره‌ها و امثال آنها، بلکه معادلاتی برای احساسات انسانی."

Ezra Pound
Ezra Pound Poet
Translations
🇺🇸 English 🇨🇳 中文 🇪🇸 Español 🇪🇬 العربية 🇫🇷 Français 🇮🇷 فارسی 🇯🇵 日本語
Quote meaning
The essence of this quote is really about the connection between poetry and human emotions, likening the structure and precision of mathematics to the way poetry captures and expresses our deepest feelings. It's saying that poetry, much like math, follows a certain order and logic, but instead of dealing with numbers and shapes, it dives into the messy, complex realm of human emotions.

So, why did someone say this? Well, poetry has often been seen as something mystical and unstructured, driven by pure inspiration and feelings. On the other hand, mathematics is considered the epitome of structure, with its rigid rules and predictable outcomes. By comparing poetry to mathematics, the speaker highlights that, despite the apparent chaos of emotions, there’s a certain order and precision in how poetry conveys these emotions.

Let's bring this into the real world with a vivid example. Think about the sonnet form in poetry. It's got a strict structure: 14 lines, a specific rhyme scheme, and often written in iambic pentameter. Yet, within this rigid framework, poets like Shakespeare have conveyed the whole spectrum of human emotions—from love and jealousy to despair and joy. Imagine Shakespeare's Sonnet 18, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" Through its tight structure, it beautifully captures the warmth and admiration of the speaker's love.

How can you apply this wisdom in your own life? Start by embracing structure when you’re dealing with emotions. It might sound counterintuitive, but having a framework can actually help you process and express your feelings more clearly. Try journaling with prompts or writing poetry using specific forms. It’s like giving your emotions a map—they’re still wild and free, but now they have a path to follow.

Here's a little scenario to help illustrate this. Imagine you're feeling overwhelmed by a mix of emotions. Maybe you're excited about a new job opportunity, but also scared and anxious. Instead of letting these feelings swirl around chaotically, you decide to write a poem. You pick a structure, say a haiku, with its 5-7-5 syllable scheme. As you fit your thoughts into this form, you find that the process helps you clarify and understand your emotions better. "New horizons call / Fear and joy dance together / Future's brave new dawn." See how the structure helps in expressing a complex emotional situation succinctly?

By viewing poetry as "inspired mathematics," you can appreciate that even the most chaotic feelings have their own kind of logic and order. It’s a reminder that there's beauty in structure and that our emotions, while often overwhelming, can be understood and expressed in precise, meaningful ways. So next time you're grappling with a flood of feelings, think about how you can 'mathematically' map them out—maybe through poetry, journaling, or another creative outlet. It’s a way of taming the wildness just enough to see it clearly, and that’s a pretty powerful tool for navigating life's emotional ups and downs.
Related tags
Creativity Emotional expression Equations Human emotions Literary metaphor Poetry
MORE QUOTES BY Ezra Pound
FEATURED QUOTES
Surprise me with another quote
Instagram Icon Facebook Icon X Icon Threads Icon