Fibbing May Be Good For You

The marriage of math and literature through the Fibonacci Sequence

Experimental poetry is about taking risks. Like anything in life, literature has a set of rules. When an author decides to remove the barriers to their creative process an experimental process is formed. It is ironic that in an attempt to remove the rules new guidelines are created that the writer must follow.

Part of experimentation with vocabulary is merging different arts or subjects into one. Take something obscure that is not connected and find a commonality. In the case of the Fibonacci poem, it is a marriage of math and literature.

Math meets literature

The Fibonacci Sequence is a mathematical equation. This sequence shows up in nature and is connected to other mathematical theories like the golden ratio.

“Starting at 0 and 1, the sequence looks like this: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and so on forever.” — Live Science

Fibs or Fibonacci poems were developed in the mid-2000s by a man named Gregory K. Pincus. It is not surprising that many people have not heard of a Fib poem since it is not commonly used.

A Fibonacci poem has a specific syllable count for each line. A Fib is the marriage of words with numbers.

“…Fibonacci Poem uses the Fibonacci sequence so that the number of syllables in each line equals the total number of syllables in the preceding two lines. The Fibonacci sequence begins with either zero or one, followed by one, and proceeds based on the rule that each number…is equal to the sum of the preceding two numbers. “ The Indiana State Federation of Poetry Clubs

Let’s write a Fibonacci poem!

The sequence is: 1,1,2,3,5,8,13 = 7 lines

It
Died
Looking
At the eyes
It was cold and empty
No soul was within its parts
It was an empty void of death and pain

Is this a correctly formatted Fib? Probably not. It takes time and practice to master any new poetic form.

Challenge your mind

Writing a Fib is actually difficult! As an autistic person, it is challenging to understand some writing rules. Counting syllables is something that we have never attempted. Honestly, it was a hard task and we didn’t even get it right the first time!

There is always something new to learn in life. Practicing various types of poetry, rare or not, only increases your knowledge and improves your writing skills.

Sometimes it is easy to fall into a cycle of complacency in writing. Other times, you may feel like you can’t change how you write without comprising your personal style. We encourage you to look outside the box. Experiment with poetry and make yourself uncomfortable.

If you are uncomfortable trying a new format, you should do it!

Closing thoughts

It is amazing to think about how different studies can be merged into one unique process. Experimental writing is an important foundation of human evolution.

Society changes with time. The art and literature that society produces evolve in tandem with humanity. Each person is responsible for having an open mind.

Writers are assumed to be open-minded. However, sometimes the truth is the opposite. Writers get stuck in their ways just like everyone else. Personally, we get out of our habits by trying something new.

Maybe a Fib will be good for you too!