by Holly Bliss

Created on: March 29, 2008   Last Updated: March 30, 2008

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;

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