30

The interests that fascinate and dominate a person's life can often make absolutely no sense to anyone else. What is important is that they fascinate us, and allow us to focus the passion for living in some tangible way. This might be poetry, or painting, gardening, or baking. It might begin with the child who wants to collect stones they find beauty in. It might be the older person with their daily crossword. It might even be numbers. We must respect the absolute value of this passion in others as we accept a key, with its apparent nonsensical shape, can turn the hidden workings of a lock. Everything has this potential to be fascinating, given the right degree of passion and application . . . even the number 30 . . . .

30 days, 30 years, 30 pieces of silver;

the rule of trinity extended

three horizontal realities to One vertical,

and the no-beginning, no-end zero

30 poems, 30 constructs, 30 lives,

by a hologram

from the edge of the real,

30 bells toll for thee.

A moments attention, now please,

for 30 the square pyramidal number,

30 the smallest Giuga number

primorial and natural;

both semi-perfect,

and Harshad(giver of joy).

To bake a really big cake,

you require just two and a half dozen,

or 30,

fresh eggs.

-30-

©Copyright Niall OConnor