Issue #4  




Have You Told a Fib Today?

Those readers of the Fib Review who are familiar with Fibonacci poems will be excited about the poems published in this fourth issue of The Fib Review. A diverse and rich blend of short and longer Fibonacci poems ranging from the sensitive works of Roxanne Hoffman, the rich complexity of Terri Leigh Reid�s and Donna Gagnon�s poems, to the humorous tones of J.Fassbinder�s poem will delight readers familiar with the Fibonacci form as well as the novice reader. This issue represents poets from countries including Canada, the UK, the US and New Zealand.

What is a Fib?

The Fibonacci poem is a short poetry 6-line poetry form that is based on the structure of the Fibonacci sequence. For those unfamiliar with the Fibonacci Sequence, it is a mathematical sequence in which every figure is the sum of the two preceding it. Thus, you begin with 1 and the sequence follows as such: 1+1=2; then in turn 1+2=3; then 2+3=5; then 3+5=8 and so on. The poetry sequence therefore consists of six lines of 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8, with each number representing the number of syllables that a writer places in each line of the poem. For literary purposes the standard sequence usually stops at 8 syllables, but many poets have experimented with poems that go well into higher digits, or poems that are a reversed sequence. As a literary device, it is used as a formatted pattern in which one can offer meaning in any organized way, providing the number sequence remains the constancy of the form.
The subject of the Fibonacci poem has no restriction, but the difference between a good fib and a great fib is the poetic element that speaks to the reader. No longer just a fun form to write as a math student, the poets who write good Fibonacci poems have replaced the �geek� with the poet.

Where Did it Start?

For the past three issues, The Fib Review has been publishing Fibonacci poems, which became popular April 14, 2006 after a New York Times article discussed a blog page by Gregory K. Pincus, who popularized the short poetry form, and gave it the nickname �Fib.�
For the past three years, the Fibonacci poetry form has become more widespread, with Fibonacci contests sponsored by the London Word Festival, and additional Fibonacci websites appearing each year. The Fib Review is proud to have been part of bringing this short poetry form to light through its publications and chapbook.