Arithmetic is where numbers fly

Throughout my childhood, I had seen Carl Sandburg from time to time. He had white hair, a craggy face, and under his arm, he carried a book about Abraham Lincoln. He was a well-known eccentric poet. I didn't pay him much mind. We didn't become properly introduced until my first professional library stint in New York City. For my children's services speciality seminar, we watched the six minute film "Arithmetic," animated by Lynn Smith. Carl Sandburg narrated it. In six minutes, I was smitten.

I have mixed-feelings about sharing the link to the film "Arithmetic." It is a rare film and I'm surprised that the "clip" is actually the entire film (via RealPlayer, alas.) As a librarian, I want to share the film with everybody, but I am also a little bit shy about doing so. "Arithmetic" is the film that made me starry-eyed over Carl Sandburg. It may tickle your fancy, or it may do nothing at all for you. That's fine.

I love it.

If you can't see the film or listen to Carl Sandburg's voice, here at least is the poem for you to read:

Arithmetic

Arithmetic is where numbers fly like pigeons in and out of your head.

Arithmetic tell you how many you lose or win if you know how many you had before you lost or won.

Arithmetic is seven eleven all good children go to heaven -- or five six bundle of sticks.

Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.

Arithmetic is where the answer is right and everything is nice and you can look out of the window and see the blue sky -- or the answer is wrong and you have to start all over and try again and see how it comes out this time.

If you take a number and double it and double it again and then double it a few more times, the number gets bigger and bigger and goes higher and higher and only arithmetic can tell you what the number is when you decide to quit doubling.

Arithmetic is where you have to multiply -- and you carry the multiplication table in your head and hope you won't lose it.

If you have two animal crackers, one good and one bad, and you eat one and a striped zebra with streaks all over him eats the other, how many animal crackers will you have if somebody offers you five six seven and you say No no no and you say Nay nay nay and you say Nix nix nix?

If you ask your mother for one fried egg for breakfast and she gives you two fried eggs and you eat both of them, who is better in arithmetic, you or your mother?

--Carl Sandburg

01/04/08: The video link no longer works. Regrets.