The Mess With Mathematical Symbols

By P Hadassah Joyce Pushpa

"This is fine!"

"No, it isn't, you pointless minus!"

"OH! You disgusting pine!"

"Ah, so you say, meaningless discus!"

Now, hold onto my hand, everybody;

The weather o'er there is tense

Come on, let's explore! But stay close to me

'Cause we don't know what's goin' on o'er the fence

Now, come along, stay close

There, you see! The mathematical symbols are arguin' with each other

Oh, my! Don't do that, you're steppin' on the rose

Have the symbols forgotten that they're brothers?

Just look, oh, my! Away from the argument, Plus is trying to stay away

Look! Minus and Divide are arguing like they're enemies

Oh, my! Area is tryin' to win the fight with her say

And Perimeter wants to divide, oh my oh my! Look and see. . .

No matter how much you explore,

There's just more and more of those irritating symbols

More and more of irritatin' symbols, more and more

Those weird angry symbols are the nightmare—they make the ground tremble!

I must say, Minus's the worst

Oh, he's always ever so angry

Divide always clamors to be the first

And Area is the most hungry. . .

She's hungry, for defeating

Every single symbol in Mathematicsland

And Perimeter, when I go near him, he does no greeting

He undoubtedly refuses, even to shake my hand!

Oh, Multiply, she's nothing as her name suggests

'Cause she multiplies the woes of all symbols, oh dear

She's greedy; as greedy as can get

And her every symbol does fear!

Well, I'd suppose we've done enough talking

Time to get you home

So, stay close, yes; we're going walking

Let's get by Mathematicsland's unclaimed throne.

By P Hadassah Joyce Pushpa