The cento is a poetic form composed entirely of secondary (usually poetic) texts. The word “cento” derives from the Latin word for “patchwork,” or “patchwork cloak,” and in its classical form, was composed exclusively of language from either from a single poet or from several. Ausonius, the Roman originator of the form, stipulated that the [...]
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Weekly Prompt: Poems Using Non-English Words
A favorite prompt of mine from Kenneth Koch’s classic book Wishes, Lies, and Dreams: Teaching Children to Write Poetry is an exercise in which he asks his students to compose poems using words from a list of Spanish vocabulary. Writes Koch in his commentary:
“Writing these poems enabled children who knew Spanish to enjoy their knowledge [...]
Friends & Neighbors: Weekend Roundup (Dec. 3-7, 2009)
We took a break last week for the Thanksgiving holiday, but now we’re back — and there’s lots more going on this weekend! As usual, please feel free to suggest updates and additions to this list.
