Re: The Overworked ElocutionistconulyApril 22 2011, 04:21:03 UTC
I think what it is is that there was a fad for reciting poetry. "Elocutionist" was an actual career.
So, naturally, since people expected to memorize several poems in childhood (whether they remembered them later is beside the point) they parodied it.
I mean, consider Alice in Wonderland, "How Doth the Little Crocodile". It's really another parody of yet another poem everybody was expected to be a little familiar with - clicky!
I went looking for more, and after a lot of experimenting with search terms, I discovered that this is a form of poetry called cento, which goes back to the ancient Greeks. I'm sure I've seen cento poems before, but never knew it was a recognized form!
Most of the cento poems I found are free verse, but that seems much too easy. I like the ones with rhyme and meter -- they're more challenging and creative, and more fun to read! (conuly posted another one in the comment above)
I decided to try to find more, and after a lot of experimenting with search terms I discovered that this is a form of poetry called cento, which goes back to the ancient Greeks. I never knew it was a recognized form!
Most of the cento poems I found are free verse, but that seems much too easy. I like the ones with rhyme and meter -- they're more challenging and creative, and more fun to read! (conuly posted another one in the first comment.)
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Judging from this author's dates and the date on the OP poem, there must have been a fad for this kind of thing in the early 20th century.
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So, naturally, since people expected to memorize several poems in childhood (whether they remembered them later is beside the point) they parodied it.
I mean, consider Alice in Wonderland, "How Doth the Little Crocodile". It's really another parody of yet another poem everybody was expected to be a little familiar with - clicky!
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Most of the cento poems I found are free verse, but that seems much too easy. I like the ones with rhyme and meter -- they're more challenging and creative, and more fun to read! (conuly posted another one in the comment above)
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Most of the cento poems I found are free verse, but that seems much too easy. I like the ones with rhyme and meter -- they're more challenging and creative, and more fun to read! (conuly posted another one in the first comment.)
Now I'll expect one from you....
( ... )
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