Friday, November 21, 2008

Some strange ramblings

This week in class, we have been talking a lot about seemingly incomprehensible writing, as Harryette Mullen seems to demonstrate, and a lot about writing constraints, as seen in our reading about Oulipo. So I thought it would be interesting to try to come up with my own restraints and incomprehensible writing, similar to our free write on Wednesday. I have decided on a story to tell, the question is, can you figure out what the story is? This actually took a lot of time, since I had all these new constraints, and I didn't use the normal constraints, like grammar etc... And when you go against the normal, the almost no brainer constraints, you have to be conscious of the constraints at all times. This is what, I think, makes Mullen's writing so good, and interesting. It doesn't have to tell a story, or even make sense, it is just about experiencing the new constraints.
In my writing, some constraints that you should notice right away, are that every other word is a little scrambled, but if you think about it, it is scrambled uniformly... think back to third grade... and talking in a "new" language. Another constraint is that there are no complete sentences, just punctuation where a complete sentence would theoretically end, or to show expression. And the final constraint, I will leave to you to figure out, although I hope it would be fairly obvious. :)

Some strange ramblings
uTsideoay dark, idslay quiet,
oudlay!!! 4:40am!!!
arbagegay? heavy. leepsay,
sleep, leepsay. running,
oolcay, water, reathbay! must ebay
a, extnay scene. rolickingfay, horse, lephanteay
an-- beep! oneday dream. gHuay, bed, etway,
dry. oooay, paIn,
ffoay. feetS, lIStersbay. did ouyay
know, idn'tday. wondering, amplay,
brush, kayoay. More,
openaY. cold, onay, hot,
onay, cold. interWay,
summer, ahay. sweater, shirttay. grEen
acefay, harDeNs... Etway.
tingleS. igglegay. tap
aptay tap. iay love
ucylay. Don't iAseraY, tired. lasscay to.
arkday, light,
circles, glyuay. no asMay! lOst,
eRyvay, coNfuzled. asheslay,
none oobay. sING, andfordSAy
no lasscay. Grrrr. inkcAy,
ouch. ullenmay, what?
oooay, what, ahay, tv,
icenay. emmbarrasing,
wicetay no ay third, uchoay,
tumbling Gianay. clickeriay,
failed. rETtypay, homework,
omehay, no. Imetay, good,
eturnray, elephanTs?

Well I know what it says... do you? Here is a hint, the biggest hint is virtually the answer, which is in the unmentioned constraint.

3 comments:

Andrew said...

"This is my Wednesday morning saga, get it?"

Quite clever. I'm sure coming up with this is as difficult--if not frustrating--for you as it is for me. I swear the practitioners of Oulipo are masochists.

KAT said...

Haha I completely agree! And you got it! Yah it was a lot harder than I thought it would be.

Daniel Kim said...

Hmm... I must say, I do enjoy your poem with constraints. While I feel Mullen's poetry seems to be very awkward, I see how you are trying to make a poem that has to follow certain constraints and complete an assignment. I still don't see what is behind Mullen's purpose to her poetry. Is she just trying to show off?
Good job though on your poem.