Beyond Maps

Hello Universe 277

Today's poem is a reminder to go do things in real life.

Alright, poem starts in 3… 2… 1!

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Cartographer Carlos, quite clever and keen,
had maps of all mountains that he'd never seen.
He'd trace every contour, each crack and each line,
and preach all about cartography design.

He'd tell you the angle, the rock type, and snow,
the best way to climb, where the wild winds could blow.
He knew all the theories, the charts and the graphs,
and wrote lengthy papers (with footnotes and maths).

One day, little Pip, with a grin and a hop,
came bounding down from the mountain's tippy-top!
His knees were all muddy, his hair was a mess,
his eyes shone bright like two laser-filled jets.

"Carlos!" he cried, with a jubilant shout,
"I climbed to the peak! Figured everything out!
The wind was much stronger, the rocks were more steep,
and that 'easy shortcut' was actually DEEP!"

Cartographer Carlos adjusted his specs,
"But my map, it shows… there are fewer defects!
The gradient is gentle, the path is quite clear,
you surely misread it, I'm certain my dear!"

Pip held out a wildflower, tiny, bright blue,
"This grew at the top, where the cold breezes blew.
It's not on your map, 'cause the map can't explain
the feeling of climbing up into the rain."

It turns out the map's just a picture, you see,
It shows not the feeling of wind, wild and free!
It shows not the struggle, the slip, and the slide,
and shows not the joy you feel on the far side!

A map is a guide, and it just can't compare
to going, exploring, discovering, being there.
A puddle to jump in, a song to be sung,
a story to live with a heart bold and young.

'Cause knowing about things is fine, in its way,
but doing things teaches you more every day.
The lessons you learn, with your hands and your heart,
are treasures that no map can ever impart.

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That's it! Thanks for reading edition 277 of Hello Universe.

277 is the 59th prime number. 59 is also a prime number, so 277 is a prime prime number, also known as a “super-prime”. How cool is that!

Do you have a cool math fact to share? Drop it down in the comments below.

On the way out, here's a fun blast from the past:

That's it for this week, see you next Tuesday!