Eugene Ostashevsky

Alphabet for Tamar

A is for Axiom
that proved arbitrary.


B is for Binomial
whose terms never vary.


C is for Circumference
that goes around and around.


D is for Derivative
left to lie on the ground.


E is for e
(tautologically shown).


F is for Frustrum,
a beheaded cone.


G is for Games
in which all players lose.


H is for Horror
of the Hypotenuse.


I is for Identity,
when A=A.


What J is for,
I just cannot say.


K is another
katatonic letter.


L is the Lowest
common denominator.


M is for Moebius
whose head was all face.


N stands for Number
in the general case.


O is for “Oops,
I’m dividing by zero!”


P: Proposition
for which slapped was the hero.


Q is for Quotient:
“You guys smoked all the dope!”


R is Remainder
or so we hope.


S is for Sine curve
that reclines in the nude.


T is for Tangent,
absconding for good.


U is for Union
(what else could it be?).


V is for Venn diagram
which joins two, or three.


W is for Whole
that equals its part.


X is a variable
made up by Descartes.


Y is also a variable,
it transforms on the go.


Z is for Zero,
sometimes written as O.

 

 

"Alphabet for Tamar" is reprinted from Infinite Recursor Or The Bride Of DJ Spinoza (NY: StudioRADIA / Ugly Duckling Presse, 2005).