Thursday, December 14, 2023

Cento...or mash-up

 Hello Poetry People,

My goodness...what a week! I came out of the Covid-cave because the CDC (thus my employer) says that after six days, you return to work. Ta-da! 

However, I've been pretty pooped.

Thank goodness my family has been taking care of me and don't mind when I go to bed at 5:30 in the afternoon. I'm fine...getting better every day and very thankful for the wonders of Paxlovid. 

This was a perfect time to play with form ala Susan at Chicken Spaghetti. Last week, she alternated lines from Seuss' One Fish, Two Fish and, a Shakespeare Sonnet. Her work and the idea hit me just right. I loved it! I started playing around with different poems for mash-ups. I think, technically, these poems are centos. But, mash-up sounds better to me.

I'm sharing two...just because I can't choose which one I like more. 

Word and I have been playing with Elfchen's...practice #2 is on the padlet.

Thank you, Janice Scully, for hosting the round-up this week at Salt City Verse.


15 comments:

  1. I am happy to read that you.are.back, Linda. I love the way the first one ended, seems perfect! And "the deep green/on a cold night/still shines" is lovely. Fun 'mash-ups'! Keep getting better!

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  2. This is Patricia- I agree Linda… I like both poems. I love the astronomer intertwined with Santa, you nailed the ending! But there is such a beautiful mystery in the second one too. Thank you!

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  3. So clever, Linda, the juxtaposition of Christmas and science in your first mash up, and I like them both. I also enjoyed reading your practice elfchen. It's a fun for to think about. Happy Holidays!

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  4. Linda, may I request a collection of Linda mash-ups for middle schoolers??? That would be an amazing (and marketable!) book of poems! (Email me if you want to talk more through this idea...a couple of things came instantly to mind!) xo

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  5. So glad that you are feeling at least somewhat better, Linda! Both of your poems are intriguing. You melded the seemingly disparate words together seamlessly to create such beautiful results!

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  6. Love these, Linda! They are beautiful & so much fun to read.

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  7. Linda, oh, no! I am so sorry that COVID gave you a most unexpected Christmastime visit. I hope you feel better for your family time Christmas. Your mashup poetry is delightful especially a line like "mystical moist night air". Your elfchen poem is wonderful and places me at enchantment's door. Now, I can go to decorate my new tree.

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  8. Fantastic job with both of these. Love the way your mind works. Glad to hear you're doing better; hope you'll be back up to full speed by Christmas Day.

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  9. Wow--these are beautiful, Linda. So surreal, and yet there's such internal logic that makes them work. Fabulous! Hope your energy comes back soon!

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  10. I do get a sense of mash up from these poems. Linda. The art is in the seam lines. The evidence is mounting, so I suspect I will venture into this mash up space at some point across summer, down under. Thank you to Susan and yourself for the spark.

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  11. The night before Christmas and the learned astronomer - what a brilliant combo! And I have to go back and find Susan's...

    Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com

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  12. (So sorry about the Covid, btw!)

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  13. Glad you are feeling better, Linda. Your poems are interesting and so much fun to read. I think I will have to try this form.

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  14. Gosh I love both of these, but the second one--wow! so great! I'm glad you are feeling better and can rest on this winter break!

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  15. Hi, Linda! Very cool Centos or Mash-ups. Love the holiday theme in them. I'm sorry you were down with the Covid virus recently and glad you are feeling better. My package is on the way to you! Thank you for the wonderful socks - both versions! Take Care and Happy Holidays!

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Friendly, positive comments and feedback are always welcome here. Please let me know I'm not just whistling in the dark!