Disguised in a man’s nocturnal flame
your brilliance to no one restrain.
Antoine-Auguste Le Blanc fervently you paint
enter wildly into the Gaussian domain.
In misogyny thy pensive name
renders obvious, ostentatious claims,
alas, there ain’t no Le Blanc on the complex plane
’Tis all the blinding roars of a slain-
nay, slaying woman named Sophie Germain.
Note from poet:
Sophie Germain was a prominent French mathematician and physicist whose contributions made lasting impact in the fields of number theory and elasticity theory. Despite her parents' initial oppositions to her acquiring a mathematical career under the traditionalist social ambience, Germain managed to gain education and corresponded with the great mathematician Friedrich Gauss under the pseudonym Antoine-Auguste Le Blanc, a male name. Contrary to his quintessential condescension, Gauss was intrigued by Germain's work and highly commended her proofs whilst being oblivious to her female identity. Eventually, Germain revealed her identity when she sent assistance to Gauss during the threat of Napoleon's invasion.