The Parts Do Not Sum

The whole appears to be more than the sum of the parts because the parts do not sum—they intertwine, jostle, and respond.

The parts collect.

They do not sum.

They do collect.

They do gather

To intertwine

And carry on—

The heap does grow,

The living heap

And not-living

Heaps of events

As well. But sums

Suggest atoms

In the old sense,

Numerable,

Swappable things

You can collect

And sum, each one

More of the same.

It’s a good trick.

It anchors math,

But parts don’t sum

That aren’t the same,

Not perfectly.

Only collect.