the circle

so divisible in the whole
to the whole, the total
where you are from
and where you will go;
the infinite, graceful arcs
encircling and
calling out their love for the heart—
to God that i was so perfect!

It popped into my head the other day the fact that the 360° in a circle is evenly divisible by so many numbers. Out of the first ten, for example, only 7 does not evenly divide into it; so divisible in the whole to the whole. This lead me to start thinking about other aspects of the circle, for example, the nature of 360°: to turn by that much, you return back on the journey you were on; where you are from and where you will go. And finally I thought of the center of a circle. It defines the circle, but is not part of it. Furthermore, the curve of the circle (or its parts, the arcs) revolve around the center like pilgrims who circumambulate their point of adoration; the infinite, graceful arcs encircling and calling out their love for the heart.

Is it any wonder that ancient mathematicians, whose schools of thought were quasi-religious, thought that the circle was the most perfect manifestation of creation? And when they discovered pi (the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter – a mathematical constant that is infinite in non-repeating length) well, that confirmed the idea!

And while I wouldn’t go quite so far as to say the circle is the perfection of creation, I was impressed with the spiritual metaphors a circle can represent: it is flexible and can divide itself for so many uses; a full turn defines the concept of constancy; and it infinitely circles a central point of adoration, the thing that called it into being. How could one not want to emulate one? to God that i was so perfect!

Thank you for reading the circle. I sincerely hope you have enjoyed it and I humbly appreciate your visiting the Book of Pain. As always, I look forward to your comments.

john

© 2013 by John Etheridge; all rights reserved. This poem, either alone or with the notes that accompany it, may be printed and distributed—in part or amalgamated with other works—as long as the copyright notice and the address, http://bookofpain.wordpress.com, are also clearly printed with it and there is no fee charged.

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