FIBONACCI WAS A POET

(AND HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT!)

The Fibonacci numbers appear in many types of poetry. They might show up in the meter, or number of syllables in each line of poetry, or maybe in the rhyming pattern, or in the number of lines in a stanza or in the poem. Poets don't try to put the Fibonacci numbers into their poetry, but it seems that the sequence is not only pleasing visually--in art and architecture--but is also pleasing to listen to--in poetry and music!

Here are some examples:

LIMERICKS

A limerick is a type of poem. It has five lines that usually tell a little story or joke or make a pun. Limericks follow a pattern. The first two lines rhyme and have the same number of syllables (usually 8 or 9), then the next two lines also rhyme and have the same number of syllables (usually 5), and the last line rhymes with and has the same number of syllables as the first two lines. Limericks then often use Fibonacci numbers:

Like these limericks:

A limerick is funny to say.
The lines always sound the same way.
As they are spoken,
These lines are jokin',
So come on and try one today!

The first line has syllables eight.
The second has also, but wait...
The third line has five.
You're 'bout to arrive
At the punchline. You're doing GREAT!

Fibonacci spent his whole day
With numbers--as though it were play.
He must have been bored
Right out of his 'gourd'
To spend all his time in this way!

DIAMANTE

Another type of poetry is Diamante or "diamond" poems. These poems have a diamond shape. There are five lines (which do not have to rhyme). The first and last lines each have one word. These words are nouns and they are opposites--like "summer/winter" or "laughter/tears". The second and fourth lines each have two words, which are adjectives. The second line describes the first word and the fourth line describes the last word. The middle line of the poem consists of 3 to 5 words which are -ing words. The beginning of the line relates to the first word and the end of the line relates to the last word. So the pattern of words in the poem is 1,2,3,2,1 or 1,2,5,2,1. (You could change the style slightly and build a pattern that goes 1,1,2,3,2,1,1 or 1,2,3,5,3,2,1.) ((Do these numbers look familiar?))

Here are some examples of Diamante:

The CHALLENGE: Use one of the above styles--Limerick or Diamante--and write a poem or your own. (If you can do this easily, write several and email us your favorites.)

OTHER PROJECT IDEAS: Try to find Fibonacci numbers in other poetry styles: Couplet, Triplet (Tercet), Quatrain, Cinquain, Sestet, Sepolet, Haiku, Tanka, Ballad, Sonnet, etc. Describe the patterns you find. Or, create a poem in one of these styles.

MORE PROJECT IDEAS: Poetry and music are closely related. Try to find the Fibonacci numbers in a song. Write the lyrics and show where the numbers are in the words or meter of the song. Or, write a song of your own.

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