As an assignment for the first week of December, I had the class collect five-word lines from no less than 20 sources. After briefly introducing the cut-up and found poem as techniques, I asked the groups to make a poem by arranging select pieces (three lines per member) according to some order or other. By default, their first line would be the title.
Some groups passed early, and I checked their submissions immediately. I selected some lines from these and produced a cut-up from their cut-up. The following was the result:
Before they’re allowed to graduate
the first day of school
the outline of a skeleton
was looking into your eyes
I’m waiting, this is true
I’m not simply aging
organisms have to adapt to the
objects you wish to manipulate
found a few paper-covered books
us to see beyond reality
is a limited time offer
to see its practical value
sacrifice his defensive competence
didn’t notice all the roses
handled and referred to gingerly
air, musty for having been long
time in your own health
arms to look like wings
impatience has been around for
you going longer and stronger
egos have small ears
you have to say today
you’ll always have my shoulders
interest in the universe alive
when did the rain become
the thirst for immediate results
every teardrop is a waterfall
I’m waiting, this is true
This was the
nth draft of the second attempt, by the way, and I finished it that same night, right after checking. The following night, after some consideration, I posted the poem on the class Facebook Group (another upside of deactivating my personal FB account is this: I can now use FB for purely academic purposes). It was my way of reminding those who have not yet submitted to bring their output the next day.
The post was seen by 124 and liked by 21. The following is my part in the exchange on the comments section:
DE— I cut up your cut-ups. Because you can’t have all the fun.
RE—
DE— Saan ba nanggaling iyan? Sa balita?
RE—
DE— Ay oo nga pala. Palagay ko sa balita, yung tipong na-suspend o kung ano tapos may mga kailangang pagbayaran bago makagradweyt. Pwede rin namang sa simpleng school policies nagmula. salamat sa iyong grupo!
CH—
DE— Paborito ko ang “Air, musty for having been long” sa apat. Galing ito sa "Araby" ni James Joyce, kung hindi ako nagkakamali.
CH—
DE— Sinong titser mo sa Eng 2? Saang lesson (kung naalala mo pa) ginamit? Nabasa ko iyan sa teksbuk ng Ate ko, hindi sa klase.
CH—
JE—
DE— Haha, may read for pleasure din ako sa inyo bago mag-Pasko. 100 salita lamang (abangan!) yung una kong ginawang cut-up, "Outline of a skeleton" ang pamagat. Nakakatuwa ang tula ninyo, science-y, may photosynthesis pa!
JE—
JA—
DE— Ayos lahat yan, lalo na yung "the thirst for..." Yung shoulders may pagka-cannibal ang dating. affectionate cannibal.
CL—
DE— 2x ang linyang iyan. Pang-frame. Saan mo nakuha? Awit?
CL—
