Week 2

1. Homolinguistic Translation: Take a poem and translate it “English to English” by substituting word for word, phrase for phrase, line for line, or “free” translation as response to each phrase or sentence.

“Out, Out –” by Robert Frost

The buzz-saw snarled and rattled in the yard
And made dust and dropped stove-length sticks of wood,
Sweet-scented stuff when the breeze drew across it.
And from there those that lifted eyes could count
Five mountain ranges one behind the other
Under the sunset far into Vermont.
And the saw snarled and rattled, snarled and rattled,
As it ran light, or had to bear a load.
And nothing happened: day was all but done.
Call it a day, I wish they might have said
To please the boy by giving him the half hour
That a boy counts so much when saved from work.
His sister stood beside them in her apron
To tell them "Supper." At the word, the saw,
As if to prove saws knew what supper meant,
Leaped out at the boy's hand, or seemed to leap—
He must have given the hand. However it was,
Neither refused the meeting. But the hand!
The boy's first outcry was a rueful laugh,
As he swung toward them holding up the hand
Half in appeal, but half as if to keep
The life from spilling. Then the boy saw all—
Since he was old enough to know, big boy
Doing a man's work, though a child at heart—
He saw all spoiled. "Don't let him cut my hand off—
The doctor, when he comes. Don't let him, sister!"
So. But the hand was gone already.
The doctor put him in the dark of ether.
He lay and puffed his lips out with his breath.
And then—the watcher at his pulse took fright.
No one believed. They listened at his heart.
Little—less—nothing!—and that ended it.
No more to build on there. And they, since they
Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs.

‘In, In -’ by Richard Yates

The wasp-knife growled and shook in the garden

And caused mud and threw fire-long blocks of bark,

Foul-smelling things when the wind swept through it.

And to here those who fell faces couldn’t number

Ten hills one before another

Above the sunrise far into California.

And the knife growled and shook, growled and shook,

As it strode dark, and had to drop a load.

And everything began: day was all but ahead.

Say morning, he hopes I should have called

To relieve the girl by denying her the thirty minutes

Which a girl numbers so little when trapped in play.

Her brother knelt behind us in his night dress

To tell us “Breakfast.” At a sentence, the knife,

If only to disprove knives knew where breakfast was,

Hopped in from the girl’s foot, and seemed not to hop—

She can’t have taken the foot. Although it wasn’t,

Either accepted the departure. But the foot!

The girl’s last thought was a joyous cry,

As she slid away from us grasping the foot

All in protest, and nothing if only to claim

The death from leaking. Then the girl heard nothing—

After she was too young to forget, small girl

Refusing a woman’s play, though an adult in mind—

She heard nothing ruined. “Let her stick my foot on—

The nurse, if she arrives. Let her, brother!”

No. And the foot was not yet attached.

The nurse put her out, the light of electricity.

She stood and sucked her mouth in with her breath.

But then—the listener at her beat left calm.

We all doubted. We watched at her head.

Nothing—more—lots! —and that started it.

Much more to develop here. And we, since we

Were not the ones alive, could not turn.

Problems: you can’t reverse some words as it pollutes all meaning; you have to be flexible (assuming you value something ‘making sense’ as important.) Like much of free writing, some parts work surprisingly (almost accidentally) well, and others not at all.

87. Use the "Meaning Eater" engine to deform the text of a poem.

“Who, Met –” do Traces Tapes

Ate rose tax cherubs leo reposed ex eel stub

Job kiev page bet begging props-slayer goatee oh boer,

Talks-turning fixer zoos ear tender seed voters he.

Ate hale japan dater drab pickup lima royce slots

Lyra assigner crazes tim travis sue rawly

Floyd ere gasser ned loom Players.

Odd fee pay grovels mew scoping, bidders dec carpets,

Nu al lin study, at rip by task i soya.

Hun lustful goodness: god tab mao fog lame.

Keel me a mat, A jump huge quest raul pyle

On parses may ire my single hog gig bull muff

Lima a soy hawker em list risc rocks exec bags.

Jet raiser befog locust gil ha pet gourd

By lute leak "Clarke." Hi sub hail, van elm,

Ha be up clink hi sexed flam levi mend bakers embed,

Coolie apt so paz bar'i cost, ed lumped oz sack—

Po pact ride scoff tex oboe. Joining up tim,

Sailors slewing irk survive. Zen sun book!

Pane up lagoon, rot hill at be at poll

Men eris soul accepted. Hard pad sap sum mad—

Mayer us bye ram smyrna so bart, uzi tin

Reeds i nil'a like, loaves a crabs oz smell—

En rub arm art slewing. "Odd'i toy nip now my orly ivy—

Abo bummed, saps oh sixty. Dug'i age two, slowed!"

Ed. Uri orly toy navy chewers.

Kin ordeal pet bar oh age jill ox tuber.

Io lay lin bathed gab yawn cot nary doc idiots.

Pea klux - zan handily in tea goofy dons i orient.

To win insanity. Wipe consumed po toy emacs.

Forces - herd - fortier! - ron helm forge an.

Oh rise me swing ed renal. Can gels, tenex clot

Flux sit boy doe slap, clasps ah truce easiest.