Trio: Formulae
Martin Markus
E = mc²
A breath of air contains the world
as the universe is contained
in a single word.
eiπ + 1 = 0
Three unseen powers define
an identity we can prove
but never attain.
ΔS ≥ 0
Chaos increases in the space of our minds
as in the wheeling galaxies
that burn without noise.
The Science
E = mc² Einstein’s mass-energy equation: a particle of matter contains massive energy.
eiπ + 1 = 0 Euler’s identity: three irrational/imaginary numbers combine to produce unity.
ΔS ≥ 0 The second law of thermodynamics: entropy can never decrease.
This short poem explores the relationship between three well-known mathematical/physical formulae and human experience, drawing parallels and contrasts between the structure embodied in the formulae and the subjective reality of human emotions.
eiπ + 1 = 0 Euler’s identity: three irrational/imaginary numbers combine to produce unity.
ΔS ≥ 0 The second law of thermodynamics: entropy can never decrease.
This short poem explores the relationship between three well-known mathematical/physical formulae and human experience, drawing parallels and contrasts between the structure embodied in the formulae and the subjective reality of human emotions.
The Poet
Martin Markus (he/him) is a Briton living in London, UK. His academic background is a mixture of maths and humanities, and his poetry explores this intersection, as well as other topics relating to the relationship of history to lived experience.
Next poem: With Statistical Means, She Writes by Lawrence Mark Lesser