Numbed by Numbers

I add up the digits
of the date of my birth
and come to thirty,
my year of agoraphobia.

I add up the digits
of my daughter’s date of birth
and come to twenty-four,
my age when she was born.

I add up the digits
of the date we got married
and come to twenty-six,
my age when I was snowed in.

I add up the digits
of the date my mother died
and come to twenty,
my age when I started university.

Numbed by numbers,
I give up on numerology.
Anyway, I probably miscounted,
and I find words more reliable.

Kim M. Russell, 25th November 2025

Image by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

This Tuesday Mish is our host for Poetics at the dVerse Poets Pub, where we are writing poems about numbers.

She asks, “Where would we be without them? From our birth dates to the size of our shoes, numbers are such an integral part of our everyday life.” Mish has also shared poems about numbers by Mary Cornish, Carl Sandburg and Harry Baker to inspire us.

She has also given us some suggestions, for example: to write about our favourite or lucky numbers; honour or highlight numbers that hold meaning, such as a birthday, anniversary, meaningful event, personal milestone; write about numbers in general; or personify a number, taking inspiration from Harry Baker.

34 thoughts on “Numbed by Numbers”

  3. We were writing from similar places, indeed. I had almost used the phrase “numbed by numbers” in my poem. Wow. However, I love your unique idea of adding the numbers to reveal past experiences and events.

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  9. Dunno if poetry is allergic to math but saying How do I love thee? is like counting stars when the brilliance suffices. To such inexorable sums, Rilke said, joyfully add yourself and cancel the count.

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