| Summary: | Mathematics and poetry typically operate in different realms, employing language and symbol in apparently disjoint semantic domains. In this article we explore the creative output of the Romanian poet/mathematician Ion Barbu/Dan Barbilian. Although he actively pursued these disciplines at different times, he wrote extensively on the parallels he perceived between mathematics and poetry. We explore both his published poetry and his mathematical research to suggest a role for translation in several ways. On one hand, the process of translation of his poetry from Romanian to English presents interesting challenges in bringing out the rich mathematical allusions therein. Alternatively, his mathematical writing, primarily in German, conforms to the linguistic norms that are now common to mathematics in most cultures, independent of language. Ultimately, we point to ways in which his work aspires to an ideal of inter-semiotic translation between poetry and mathematics.
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