Poem: “Matemáticas” (“Mathematics”)
Today we have another poem that was written in Spanish and has been translated into English so that more people can read it.
Matemáticas
a veces odio las matemáticas porque las comparo
con la forma que tengo que vivir
los problemas nunca terminan como los números,
mis problemas se multiplican, y mis alegrias se restan
mis días de desesperación
se suman, y mis preocupaciones se dividen
entre mis familiares y amigos, las matemáticas
son mis problemas, son los que
tengo que vivir
Mathematics
sometimes I hate mathematics because I compare them
with the way that I have to live
the problems never end like the numbers
my problems multiply, and my joys are subtracted
my days of desperation
add up, and my worries divide
between my family and friends, the mathematics
are my problems, they are the ones which
I have to live
14 Comments
Leave a Comment
The poets featured here are currently incarcerated, and many of them are in federal prisons far from home. Your feedback is a valuable source of motivation and connection to the outside community. Post your comments, feedback, and encouragement in the space below the poem. Messages will be passed on directly to the author. Comments may not appear immediately on the site, as our team processes them to mail to the poets.
Thank you to both the writer and the translator. Since I don’t read Spanish, I was particularly grateful for the English translation.
I really like the concept of comparing life to mathematics.
“mis problemas se multiplican, y mis alegrias se restan
mis días de desesperación
se suman, y mis preocupaciones se dividen
entre mis familiares y amigos, […]”
I see this as the heart of the poem. This is intense, an intensity that dwindles in the last 2 1/2 lines of the poem. How would you like the poem to end? Strengthening those last few lines would strengthen the entire poem. The same applies for the opening.
You have a wonderful start here. Thank you for sharing! If you do revise this poem, I’d love to see the new version posted on this blog.
Paz~
I LOVE THIS POEM! Great use of math to tie the whole poem together! Great idea.
BEAUTIFUL Poem I love this BRAVO
I really like this poem. It reads well in English, but it flows very well in Spanish especially. Thanks for writing!
I love it! It’s a nice poem, I liked the way you connect our everyday life to Mathematics.
¡Muy Bien! The analogy between mathematics and every day life was truly amazing. The words you write connect to the heart. The pain being away from family and worrying about them can feel as though it multiplies, it can be hard being away to feel joy. This message translates very well across languages, no matter what you speak you can understand this feeling. I loved reading the message in Spanish, although I can read Spanish I cannot speak or write back well, however the message in your words was received. You are so talented, keep writing! Your words matter.
Thank you for taking the time to write this! It does feel like life is just a strange equation. I love the metaphor you create, and the accuracy of your statement. I hope you find the answers you are looking for in life!
This poem was very interesting to read! I loved the comparison of life to mathematics!
Hello,
This really gave me a new perspective on math that I never had before! What an interesting way to look at life through the lens of math. I can understand how math can make us think about problems, and feel overwhelming. Thank you for sharing this with us.
This poem has a quiet, forlorn beauty to it that I love, both lovely and sad. The way you correlate the cold rigidity of mathematics with the unhappiness in one’s life is extraordinarily strategic, and you show a masterful understanding of the one element that can truly enhance a beautiful poem: metaphor. I wish I spoke more Spanish so I could fully comprehend the beauty of the words you chose in your language, but even in English, the verses are lyrical, and they gently flow together in a way that is pleasing to read. I also love the enjambment you use (especially towards the end), where the end of a line isn’t necessarily the end of the sentence, but it cuts off midway through and carries over to the next line. I absolutely adore this aesthetic, sorrowful lamentation of a poem. Please keep writing!! You clearly have an innate talent for writing.
I thought it was very interesting how you incorporated math into your everyday life, interpreting it in a way where it really does not have much to do with numbers. You do not have to deal with the struggle of actually doing math, but with what everything in your life is adding up to. I never thought math would have a purpose in life, but you made it make sense. I thought this was a fairly clever poem with a great analogy, well done.
Me fasina este poema: me parece que la comparación entre los conceptos de matemática y los problemas que nos vienen es genial. Entiendo la frustración que estas compartiendo, mas que nada, entiendo el sentimiento de los problems sumando. Los cálculos de va vida nos prevén y aprendemos de esa calcinaciones adentro y afuera de la clase. Espero que sepas que no esta en estos sentimientos tos solo y que tu forma de expresarlo es realmente increíble. Por favor no dejes de escribe lo que estas pensando, tienes un regalo.
Thank you for the translation so that more people are able to enjoy this wonderful poem! I also hate math, but your poem gave me insight into a deeper meaning of disliking math. The parallels from life to math are never something I thought about that much. All of life’s problems add up, subtract, multiply, and divide making more problems for the person. Thanks for sharing.
!!Amazing poem I hope to see more!!