Before I discovered that math and programming were actually a whole lot of creative fun, I got my kick writing poetry. Conversely, if you've never tried, you mi

Before I discovered that math and programming were actually a whole lot of creative fun, I got my kick writing poetry. Conversely, if you've never tried, you might discover you'll get the same rational / problem-solving kick writing poetry as you do writing programs. Writing metered poetry that does not sound "stiff" is particularly challenging. I like how this one came out: --- I would not mind floating downstream; End up among the fish and whales. Of the ocean waters, dark and deep, I’m not afraid, for I do know That, once you’ve lived among the corals, The muddy currents, pebbles and rocks, And parlous contours of the stream Against whose tide you’d rather swim Are banes you’ll gladly leave behind; For deep at sea you’re not confined By rocks and edges that grind and rasp– The river’s water may be sweet, But just as sweet, the river’s shallow; I’d rather down its torrent follow, Follow to the salted sea.” (At this you quickly sipped your tea) “Yes, in the sea I’ll freely trace The peaceful ebbs of open space, More free than any shallow stream; As free as logic in a dream.” Again you sipped, and leaned, and laughed, Then played a moment with your scarf; And I suspect you did agree. --- I have a few more writings of different types at https://noamswebsite.wordpress.com/category/poems-and-fiction/ https://noamswebsite.wordpress.com/category/poems-and-fictio... :) I miss writing! I think after this startup thing, if it's successful, I'll take some time to write again. I'm probably very rusty! And it's incredibly challenging. Writing something meaningful and lyrical can be as much of a brain workout as designing a complex recursive algorithm. I've no qualms about placing Shakespeare under the same category of genius as Newton or Gauss. It's kind of a shame that today the two worlds seem so separate... both sides are poorer for it.