'Discovering Patterns in Mathematics and Poetry' invites readers to make surprising connections

Calculus not required

“Why bring together two fields that seem to many people so very disparate" What could mathematics and poetry share, except that the mention of either one is sometimes enough to bring an uneasy chill into a conversation"”—from Discovering Patterns in Mathematics and Poetry by Marcia Birken and Anne C. Coon

What do Fibonacci Numbers, the Golden Ratio and poetry have in common"

Their patterns and the analogies they inspire help us to express fundamental concepts, make new discoveries and comprehend the mysterious, say Marcia Birken and Anne C. Coon.

The mathematician and the poet have been on a treasure hunt of sorts, searching mathematics and poetry for points of similarity and areas of overlap for more than 25 years. Along the way, they found significant connections in their respective fields through analogies and patterns, and gained a mutual appreciation for each other’s discipline.

Written for a general audience, Patterns in Mathematics and Poetry (Editions Rodopi, Amsterdam) is the result of their unlikely partnership and lengthy collaboration. The book grew from the course “Analogy, Mathematics and Poetry” (later “Patterns in Mathematics and Poetry”) that Birken and Coon developed and taught at Rochester Institute of Technology, as well as from their countless papers, conferences and workshops on related topics.

Patterns in Mathematics and Poetry is intended for readers who may never have taken Calculus or do not have all 101 Great American Poems committed to memory. What they must have is an interest in making connections across disciplines and a thirst for intellectual adventure.

“The book is meant for scientists who love poetry and poets who love science and math,” says Coon, senior associate dean and professor of English in RIT’s College of Liberal Arts and the author of several books of poetry published by FootHills Publishing and The Old School Press.

“People who seek patterns are always looking for new ones,” adds Birken, professor emeritus in RIT’s School of Mathematical Sciences and an award-winning nature photographer. “They want to understand the world through increasingly complex configurations.”