Your complimentary articles
You’ve read one of your four complimentary articles for this month.
You can read four articles free per month. To have complete access to the thousands of philosophy articles on this site, please
Poetry
The Rime of the Ancient Geometer
by Steven Clayman
‘Squaring the circle’ is an ancient problem in geometry, of constructing a square with the same area as a given circle using only a compass and straightedge. The task is mathematically impossible, but nonetheless attracted many ardent cranks and charlatans over the centuries.
While some doth boast and many said it,
Verily I claim the credit.
For having lastly squared the circle,
I quaff thy praise lest some young Turk’ll.
Perchance that thou art not impressed,
Behold what I shall now attest:
It came to pass (this may seem pompous)
With naught but straightedge and a compass.
Unleash thy fettered lauds and laurels!
I fancy most the sweets and florals.
But giveth not thy full devotion:
I’ve well-nigh wrought perpetual motion.
© Steven Clayman 2023
Steven Clayman is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at UCLA.