Poetry of repetition: constructing verse through combinatorial design theory
Publication Details
De Vas Gunasekara, A.,
&
Lo, M.
(2026).
Poetry of repetition: constructing verse through combinatorial design theory.
Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, 20 (1-2), 156-171.
Abstract
This paper investigates the connections between combinatorial design theory and the creation of new forms of poetry through a specific combinatorial structure called Steiner triple systems. We introduce five original poems constructed using variations of Steiner triple systems on seven and nine words, illustrating how mathematical structures can inform and inspire new poetic forms. The work includes a reflective discussion from dual creative perspectives; one emphasizing structural design and the other, literary expression, highlighting how formal constraints can foster occasional frustrations, but also unexpected artistic freedoms. This study demonstrates the potential of mathematical frameworks as generative tools in literary creativity.
Keywords
combinatorial poetry, Steiner triple systems, generative literary structures, graphs, combinatorial design
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