Monday, February 3, 2020

Numbers and Words


The number Seven stands alone, and
without another number to add, sub-
tract, multiply or divide, Seven has no
where to go. What good then is one

number without another? Zero has a
problem of its own. Figure it into the
equation with any other number and
Zero has no value to change. Thank the

good lord poetry is not a numbers
game. One word on a page or many,
say the length of Beowulf, and there
you have it, a poem is made. As for a

one word example of that I would say,
Nuts! may qualify. During World War II’s
Battle of the Bulge, General Anthony
McAuliffe, commander of the 101 Air-

borne Division defending Bastogne, Bel-
gium, was famous for his single-word
reply of "Nuts!" in response to a German
surrender ultimatum. In imagery, that one

word alone spoke volumes. Isn’t that what
poetry is supposed to do? I do believe, most
any poet could proudly drop the microphone
and walk off stage after saying that.

Of course, in the eye of the beholder, context
matters. Nuts to a squerrel takes on a whole
different meaning.

-30-

Chris Hanch 1-15-2020

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