“Breaking Good”:
Re-poemifying a famous poem that has been de-poemifyied:
The line breaks have been removed from a well-known poem. The task was to turn this bit of writing back into a poem, creating lines and stanzas where we felt it made sense. Inevitably, the meaning of the poem would be altered, showcasing the importance of the “line” and “line break”. It was fun – give it a try!
ORIGINAL PROMPT
tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time; and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. out, out, brief candle! life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
MY VERSION
tomorrow,
and tomorrow,
and tomorrow,
creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
to the last syllable of recorded time;
and all our yesterdays
have lighted fools
the way to dusty death.
out, out, brief candle!
life’s but a walking shadow,
a poor player,
that struts and frets
his hour upon the stage
and then is heard no more.
it is a tale told by an idiot,
full of sound and fury,
signifying nothing.
ORIGINAL POEM
Speech: “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow”
(from Macbeth, spoken by Macbeth)
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
literaryfaerie 