May 16

“Longer, Flip, or a Slide” by Rick Ricci

It’s all the same, only the names are changed
I’d have to say it seems they’re related some way
Another kid with some traits that are quite close
To its parent’s graph from head to toes

It’s a function, on a coordinate plane it lies
Stretched longer, flip, or a slide
Longer, flip, or a slide

Sometimes it’s steep, sometimes it bends away
Decreases and peaks, be it curves or lines or rays
Sometimes you tell the ends by the function’s known degree
Sometimes it makes a “u” and occasionally a “v”

It’s a function, on a coordinate plane it lies
Stretched longer, flip, or a slide
Longer, flip, or a slide

If subtraction’s inside the group, the function slides off to the right
But instead if it’s outside, the function decreases in height
Place a negative in front and the function’s upside down
A big number for the a, and it stretches up, I found

It’s a function, on a coordinate plane it lies
Stretched longer, flip, or a slide
Longer, flip, or a slide •

This work is based on the song “Wanted Dead or Alive,” written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora and performed by Bon Jovi.


Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved.

Posted May 16, 2024 by valerie.egger in category music, poetry

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