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Problem in a Math Book

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PROBLEM IN A MATH BOOK
   Yehuda Amichai
I remember a problem in a math book
about a train that leaves from place A and another train
that leaves from place B. When will they meet?
And no one ever asked what happens when they meet:
will they stop, or pass each other, or collide?
And none of the problems was about a man who leaves from place A
and a woman who leaves from place B. When will they meet,
will they meet at all, and for how long?
As for that math book: now I’ve reached
the final pages with the Table of Answers.
Back then it was forbidden to look.
Now it’s permitted. Now I check
where I was right and where I was wrong,
and know what I did well and what I didn’t. Amen.

    Translated by Chana Bloch and Chana Kronfeld

Problems Not in a Math Book

Even a math problem, as long as it’s complicated,
usually has more than one solution.
As for other problems, there even won’t be any suggested answers.
But we always want an answer, sometimes “the” answer,
then it would be easy like copy-paste.

It just doesn’t work like that.

I don’t claim that answers are not important,
I check answers from time to time.
However, I do think the solving part matters more.
Questions, doubts, are always there.
The hard work, the frustration, sometimes I hate it a lot.
But in the end, it’s good to have your own answer,
otherwise you wouldn’t know
what you did well and what you didn’t.

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