Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Mary Cornish?s "Numbers" offers a reflection on the universality, utility, and poetic essence of mathematics. Through simple yet profound imagery, the poem captures the intrinsic beauty of numbers, portraying them not merely as tools for calculation but as entities suffused with generosity, creativity, and an ability to imbue everyday life with meaning.

The poem begins with an assertion of the “generosity of numbers,” emphasizing their egalitarian nature. Numbers, Cornish suggests, “are willing to count / anything or anyone.” This line sets the tone for the poem’s exploration of the numerical as a connector of diverse elements in life. Whether it’s “two pickles” or “eight dancers dressed as swans,” numbers willingly engage with the mundane and the extraordinary alike. Cornish’s diction, such as “generosity” and “willing,” anthropomorphizes numbers, attributing to them a magnanimous spirit that transcends mere functionality.

The poem proceeds to celebrate addition as a symbol of abundance and domestic simplicity. The example of “add two cups of milk and stir” ties mathematics to the comforting rituals of home life, while “six plums on the ground, three more falling from the tree” evokes a sense of nature’s bounty. Cornish captures the essence of arithmetic as not just a mechanical process but a representation of life?s fullness and continuity.

Multiplication, in Cornish’s vision, becomes a metaphor for natural and infinite proliferation. The imagery of “fish times fish” evokes a sense of wonder, as their “silver bodies breed / beneath the shadow of a boat.” This description suggests multiplication’s transformative power, where simple quantities evolve into something abundant and dynamic. The metaphor also bridges the mathematical and the biological, reinforcing the interconnectedness between abstract numbers and tangible life.

The poet’s treatment of subtraction is particularly striking for its philosophical outlook. Rather than framing subtraction as a loss, Cornish reimagines it as “just addition somewhere else.” This perspective turns a seemingly negative concept into one of redistribution and continuity. The example of “five sparrows take away two, / the two in someone else’s garden now” underscores this principle, suggesting that even absence holds the potential for presence elsewhere. Through this lens, subtraction becomes a lesson in perspective, a reminder of life?s inherent balance.

Long division, often considered tedious or intimidating, is transformed into a ritual of discovery in Cornish’s hands. She likens the process to “opening Chinese take-out / box by paper box,” drawing attention to the hidden delights within complexity. The mention of “a new fortune” inside every cookie captures the element of surprise and serendipity that mathematics can offer. Cornish infuses division with a sense of playfulness and curiosity, aligning it with life?s unfolding mysteries.

The poem culminates with the celebration of the “odd remainder,” an artifact of division that resists neat categorization. Cornish sees this remainder as a “gift,” an emblem of individuality and unpredictability. The examples—“three boys beyond their mothers’ call,” “two Italians off to the sea,” and “one sock that isn’t anywhere you look”—ground this abstract concept in vivid, relatable imagery. These remainders are not anomalies but rather expressions of life’s quirks and its refusal to be wholly contained or resolved.

Cornish’s use of form and structure mirrors the poem’s thematic content. The free verse allows the ideas to flow naturally, while the conversational tone makes mathematical concepts approachable and personal. The deliberate inclusion of domestic, natural, and cultural imagery underscores the universality of numbers, showing their relevance to all facets of human experience.

"Numbers" ultimately serves as both a meditation on and a celebration of the mathematical. Cornish’s reverence for numbers transcends their utilitarian role, portraying them as symbols of abundance, balance, and infinite possibility. By weaving together arithmetic and life, the poem invites readers to appreciate the poetry inherent in mathematics, the way it enriches and orders the world while leaving space for mystery and wonder.

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