The Construction of a Parabola

y = x^2.

i start the construction by
drawing a singular point on the page,
the focus, yes, well said, the focus.
next a line, somewhere else on the page,
the directrix, a smooth straight line;
what a lovely name for this line!
ever so carefully, i find that locus of points
where the distance between the focus
and the point is the same as that
between that same point and the directrix;
what a lovely name for a line!
that locus, shall we call it “y”, is
a poetic parabola, so much of its
rich loveliness concealed when only
identified by
y= x^2.