José Angel Araguz: Time again for another cento contest celebrating the release of our latest issue!
The cento is a collage form in which a poem is composed entirely of lines from other poems. It can be an homage to the originals, a subversive twist, or just a fun game. Contemporary examples of the form include “The Dong with the Luminous Nose” by John Ashbery and “Wolf Cento” by Simone Muench.
As in our previous post, I’ve gone ahead a composed a cento poem based on last lines pulled from 13.2 (with punctuation added here and there) in celebration of the new issue. We encourage you to compose your own 13.2 cento and post it on our blog. We’ll float a free issue to creators of the strongest three (either gift for a friend or added to your current subscription). Pro tips: 1. Remember to cite the authors you quote from the issue; 2. enjambment is your friend!
Here. Take it all.
cento sonnet, written with last lines drawn from The Cincinnati Review, issue 13.2
Stand in bareness after the plunging hoofs are gone
beside the body, talking to it.
No more swallowing blood and coughing up trenzas,
ashamed to be ashamed.
Pollution of the heart, yearning,
until the visions open, until the visions bleed.
I’ll sing myself hoarse with prayers of data and space, our soundless bell,
night after night. You know my name, remember?
The hands that fed me
across the dusky skies and spelled out my silent shame
killed it easily, that stag with horns of gold,
and woke finding no God to whom to pray.
About the time: It’s passing so quickly.
I don’t know what to do with my heart.
*
[sources, in order: Alex Lemon (title), Joseph Zaccardi, Okwudili Nebeolisa, Eduardo Martinez-Leyva, Carina del Valle Schorske, Tuvia Ruebner, Claire Hero, Jessica Rae Bergamino, Todd Hearon, Josh Kalscheur, Jim Daniels, Martha Silano, Marilyn Nelson, David O’Connell, Charlotte Muzzi]
