  Poetry
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A poet ought not to pick nature's pocket. Let him borrow, and so borrow as to repay by the very act of borrowing. Examine nature accurately, but write from recollection, and trust more to the imagination than the memory.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772 - 1834)
Pap always said it warn’t no harm to borrow things, if you was meaning to pay them back, sometime;
Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910), U.S. author. Huck, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, ch. 12 (1885).
Only an inventor knows how to borrow, and every man is or should be an inventor.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882), U.S. essayist, poet, philosopher. “Quotation and Originality,” Letters and Social Aims (1875, repr. 1904).
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Borrowed Poetry
Borrowed poetry is my own term for the type of poem that is created by scavenging for bits of sentences or phrases from other sources.
When done correctly, it is far from plagiarism. Instead, borrowed poetry pays homage, brings new life, or it can bring an added depth to the words of others.
~*~
Cento/Semi Cento
Of the three forms I will share today, the cento is the oldest. It comes from the minds of ancient Greece and Rome, and its purpose was to honor. “In Latin the word cento means ’patchwork,’ and the verse form resembles a quilt of discrete lines stitched together to make a whole. The word cento is also Italian for ’one hundred,’ says NY Times writer David Lehman (Lehman). Even though it means patchwork, it should flow together seamlessly.
BRIEF HISTORY
In a Malleable Jangle article Giles Goodland states, “The cento as a form was first developed in ancient Greece when poets started stitching together their own poems entirely from lines or verses taken from Homer. This form of poetry later became known as the cento, from the Latin word for patchwork, or perhaps from kentron, a Greek word meaning to graft trees.” There are not many centos that have endured the ravages of time, but I find it interesting that a short one is on the leg of an Egyptian statue (Goodland).
MUST HAVES
---Lines must be gathered from poetry.
---Must never add more words.
---Must never remove any words – no matter how inconvenient they may be.
---Must never change a word – take them as the are.
COULD HAVES or What's The Poet's Choice In All This?
---Can be any number of lines
---Rhyme or not.
OF NOTE
VARIATION 1: A variation on the cento is the semi-cento. Remember that cento is also Italian for one hundred? The semi-cento assumes the general cento is one hundred lines long, and thus states that a semi-cento is fifty lines long. All other cento rules apply.
VARIATION 2: Another variation is the cento collage. In this version you would mesh your own words with lines from other poets.
Final note: Please, please, please, always quote your source. Place a key or notes at the bottom of your poem indicating which lines were originated by whom. As writers we, above all, know how it would feel if someone took credit for our work.
~*~
Found Poetry
Unlike the cento and semi-cento, found poetry can be discovered anywhere. The very heart of this form is to turn something that wasn’t born poetry – into a poem. Similar to found art, a found poem can be discovered anywhere: from words on street signs to overheard conversation; from notes and letters to magazine and newspaper articles.
BRIEF HISTORY
According to the Teachers and Writers Handbook of Poetry by Ron Padgett, “some of the earliest and most engrossing found poetry is in Charles Reznikoff’s Testimony, based on courtroom trials” (Padgett, 79).
MUST HAVES
---Must find words somewhere.
---Must format those words so they take on a poetic quality - placing line breaks, italics, bolding, etc. in order to create emphasis and depth.
---Must never add more words.
---Must never remove any words – no matter how inconvenient they may be.
---Must never change a word – take them as the are.
COULD HAVES or What's The Poet's Choice In All This?
---Where you find your words.
---How many lines long you make it.
---How you choose to arrange them.
---Whether or not you use a whole letter or article, etc. Remember, you may not remove words, but nothing I’ve seen says you may not use only the beginning (middle or end) section of something. However, I would make mention of it in my source notes.
OF NOTE
VARIATION: I have also seen a variation on this that seems to cross the found poem and the cento. In this version the poet will take bits from several sources (like the cento), but it can be from anywhere (like the found poem). This means you may use sources that are poetry, and sources that are not in the same poem.
***Please, please, please again - always quote your source. Place a key or notes at the bottom of your poem indicating where you scavenged the words for your poem. Indicated who said it (if known) and where it was said, in the case of something overheard.
~*~
First Lines Poem
A first lines poem is similar to a cento, in that you use poetry to create it. This time you use your own poetry. I haven’t seen this poetry form anywhere but writing.com. I participated in a contest in the fall of 2002, so this may be a newer poetry form. Unfortunately, I believe the member who hosted the contest is no longer with the site, so I cannot confirm where they found the poetry form or where (and why) they came up with the idea.
BRIEF HISTORY
As stated above, I am unsure of the history of this form other than a contest I participated in just over five years ago. I included it with this group due to its similar borrowing nature.
MUST HAVES
---Must have written at least as many poems as you wish your first lines poem to be.
COULD HAVES or What's The Poet's Choice In All This?
---Can be any number of lines.
---Can rhyme or not.
OF NOTE
Plagiarism is not a problem when using your own work. However, you might want to tell the reader where they can find the original first lines.
SOURCES:
Goodland, Giles. "Notes towards a History of The Cento." Malleable Jangle 01 Mar 2008. <http://www.malleablejangle.netfirms.com/gilesgoodland.htm>.
“Malleable Jangle is a web-based poetry quarterly which seeks to publish quality poetry and related articles. Malleable Jangle is archived in the Pandora Archive at the National Library of Australia.”
Lehman, David. " POEM; These Fragments I Have Shored." NY Times 02 Apr 2006 01 Mar 2008. <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9502E3D71630F931A35757C0A9609C8B63>.
Padgett, Ron. Teachers & Writers Handbook of Poetic Forms. 2nd. NY: T & W Books, 2000.
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Theme: Borrowed poetry forms.
Cento/Semi-Cento:
None. Want to try one? If you do, please send me a copy, either through the feedback section at the bottom of this newsletter or to my email.
Found Poetry:
First Lines Poetry:
Clarity Pyramids on the subject of Cheese:
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
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Have a question, answer, problem, solution, tip, trick, cheer, jeer, or extra million lying around?
If so, send it through the feedback section at the bottom of this newsletter OR click the little envelope next to my name Red Writing Hood <3 and send it through email.
Comments on last month's newsletter:
Submitted By: Jay's debut novel is out now! 
Submitted Comment:
I think you could very easily elicit from the Writing.Com populace a number of newsletters' worth of poetry on cheese, cheeses, and cheese related incidents. In fact I was moderately certain I had already done, but I can't seem to find it. LOL! great newsletter and wonderful information about Clarity Pyramids! ~j
Submitted By: T Rayven 
Submitted Comment:
I decided to take up the idea of a clarity pyramid about cheese, although largely because it was that or try and do my homework. The poem was easier, although whether it could be called good is different. It seemed to just ask to be slightly humorous
Submitted By: Vivian 
Submitted Comment:
You make a great poetry editor. Good job as usual, Holly. ~~ Viv
Submitted By: mars
Submitted Comment:
Thanks for your very informative newsletter! I like to learn some new poetry-forms and you explained it clearly and inspiring. So I felt tempted to give your challenge a try: a cheese Clarity Pyramid with a few variations, as you mentioned. "Kaas" is Dutch for cheese.
Submitted By: dmack
Submitted Comment:
What a nice surprise to find my attempt at a Clarity Pyramid in your Editor's Picks. Thank you!
Submitted By: Dave
Submitted Comment:
Just couldn't resist your challenge in this week's Poetry Newsletter.
Submitted By: essence of thought
Submitted Comment:
So clear, helpful and enjoyable newsletter. And thank you for featuring my poem.
Submitted By: mrstyx
Submitted Item: "Invalid Item"
Submitted Comment:
How can I get advance notice of what the topic will be for the next newsletter??? Seems like I send in something and then the next format is totally different.
There isn't a place that lists what topics will be up next. However, if you are ever inspired by a topic I cover, please note that in the feedback below (with or without an accompanying poem) and I will be sure to add your comments here. I try to feature poems sent to me (or those that seem to be sent in reference to the topic I covered) in either the Editor's Picks or this section. Other editors may work in similar ways, but not all. We are given leeway in this regard.
Thank you all for your wonderful questions and comments. Keep them coming!
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Poetry: March 05, 2008 Issue [#2264]
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