A Number of Notable Notoriety

 

 

I am thinking of a number

It is just one shy of perfection,

Even though even, it is at odds

Hence, it’s an insightful illusion.

 

Chances are, you already know it

Especially if you are a Christian,

Even today in this modern time

It is associated with a vision.

 

A vision of a future event

Like nothing we’ve seen before

And given the way things are going

It might just be at the door.

 

But if this number is so horrible

It is time that we reject it,

Now that we have the opportunity

Let’s break this terrible habit.

 

 

We abhor this frightening number

But we would buy half dozen eggs,

Would it not be far better

To buy seven eggs instead?

 

Seven would be the perfect number

And would actually last longer too,

Plus, there is no omen in seven;

This is some Christians’ view.

 

This means the Bible lacks some books,

We should add another eleven

And get rid of that horrible number

By making them seventy-seven.

 

Or maybe we should subtract eleven

And then they would be fifty-five

And get rid of that satanic number

So that we all could thrive.

 

 

Isaiah would have some work too

Re the book written in his name,

Either add or subtract eleven chapters

And get rid of the ominous bane.

 

And that ancient nursery rhyme

Sing a song of you know what...

Get rid of the sum of money there

For this number must be stopped.

 

Now picture the number line-

Of course, it is one digit less,

But now we have gotten rid of its nemesis

It certainly looks its best.

 

God took so many days to create

But five days would have been best,

Then we would have been rid of this number

That many consider a pest.

 

Three and twelve would have to go

That’s half of it and twice,

The former is the inner core

And the latter, all the disciples of Christ.

 

I can’t even name the number

As some consider it an omen,

I deliberately left it out of this poem

So as to avoid it happening.

 

As a stand-alone it is horrible,

The number of biblical books shows two

But when you get three of them together,

That is the worst ever view.

 

If you have discovered this number

In any number that you use,

Go one up or even down from it...

Do not suffer its abuse.

 

And remember when you are counting

Be sure to leave it out,

This bane of our number system

Is notorious without doubt.

 

If you are yet to discover this number

You are in a terrible state,

For as some have said the Bible says,

It is connected to a coming fate.

  

Not one or two, but three

You will find of that dreaded number,

Don’t take the mark if you know what’s best

Some believe it bespeaks grave danger.

 

It is a number of notable notoriety

Yet we use it in so many ways,

Such smacks of hypocrisy, if you ask me,

But that is rampant in these days.

 

Stewart Russell © June 2020