Three

Most colleges here in the Philippines use the 1-5 grading system, 1.0  being the highest and 5.0 being the lowest. The passing mark is 3.0. Because it is relatively difficult to pass most courses (and exams) in our university compared to other other universities in our country, some students are quite  happy to get 3.0, especially in  difficult courses.

That probably inspired the writer of the poem below. That poem is printed at the back of t-shirts sold at the university.  One day, I heard three freshmen talking and laughing about wearing the shirt. One said, ‘I won’t wear that shirt ’til I graduate. My classmate wore it and he got a 3.0 in Math 17 (Algebra and Trigonometry). Believe me, those shirts are cursed,’ and they all laughed.

The poem is  a derivative the poem “Tree” by Joyce Kilmer. Honestly,  I do not know who is the author of the poem. Kindly tell me if you know.

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The Square Root of Three

The Square Root of Three is a poem I have heard several about two years ago from the movie Harold and Kumar . Enjoy reading it.

The Square Root of Three

David Feinberg

I’m sure that I will always be
A lonely number like root three

The three is all that’s good and right,
Why must my three keep out of sight
Beneath the vicious square root sign,
I wish instead I were a nine

For nine could thwart this evil trick,
with just some quick arithmetic

I know I’ll never see the sun, as 1.7321
Such is my reality, a sad irrationality

When hark! What is this I see,
Another square root of a three

As quietly co-waltzing by,
Together now we multiply
To form a number we prefer,
Rejoicing as an integer

We break free from our mortal bonds
With the wave of magic wands

Our square root signs become unglued
Your love for me has been renewed


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math_poem.jpg (JPEG Image, 589×319 pixels) via kwout