Permutation / Spare Parts Poems

Permutation, a variation on cut-up poetry, involves taking a set of words and rearranging them to create a new phrase or poem. Making sense is not a requirement of permutation poetry, but it is a challenge to try. As an example, we read and discussed Brion Gysin's "Rub out the Write Word." We then took Emily Dickinson's poem, "I'm Nobody! Who are you?" and created brand new permutations from its text. Students were asked to use as many words as possible, without adding or duplicating any, and/or changing verb tenses, agreeing that certain words could be left out of their final poems if necessary – thus the subtitle, Spare Parts Poems.

Ms. Jones, 3rd grade

Emily Dickinson
Michelle A.

How livelong dreary to pair of
public one's advertise, Somebody!
I am nobody! Are you?

Untitled
Aleena I.

Nobody are you bog.
Nobody to an admiring frog?
How public to tell...livelong!
How dreary June somebody!?
Don't advertise tell they'd.

Untitled
David L.

Who are you?
A frog.

How dreary
to tell one's name

Don't tell
the long live bog!

Then to be somebody
there's a pair of us.

How public are you?
To an admiring you know!

Nobody to
advertise.

Untitled
Divya P.

To tell one's name. Like frog.
Who are you? I am nobody.
I'm nobody too! Then there's a
pair of us?

Untitled
Daniel S.

I'm somebody,
How dreary – to be Nobody.
Are you a frog?
Are you an admiring Bog?
Then don't tell one's name.
How public the livelong June,
There's a advertise,
You know!
Nobody tell!
They'd pair us too.
Nobody!

Untitled
Mark W.

Nobody are you a no body
Then there's a pair of us
Don't tell anyone
How are you somebody

Frog
Angela Y.

Are you a Frog?
How admiring!
Don't tell Nobody you know...

Ms. Goode, 5th grade

Untitled
Georel A.

I am nobody.
Nobody to be somebody.
How dreary.
To tell public.
Who are you?

Untitled
Dragos B.

To tell you my name.
I'm an no body. Are you
too? To tell you know. Tell us?
Are you one?

I'm you
like a
frog you
know

Nobody who?
Jessica D.

Nobody who? Nobody too!

How public – To tell one's name –

To an admiring Bog!

Are you? – Somebody –

How dreary! – like a Frog

Untitled
Teksong E.

I'm a somebody!
How dreary, to long live!
There's a Frog?
Don't tell!
To a bog.
To know one's name,
you are you.

Nothing
Andres G.

I'm Nobody
How Dreary
Somebody
you don't tell
to public
I'm Nobody

Nobody
Edina H.

Nobody advertise you!
I am who you are.
Long live admiring Somebody
Don't tell, there's a frog!
Dreary June!
Then there's a pair of one's name tell public!
How are us?
To be an Nobody, you know!

Untitled
Keyla J.

Are you dreary?
Then I'm too
you tell Somebody
Livelong Frog
Name Nobody
One's you know
Advertise Somebody
Don't tell June
a pair to be
who of us
Nobody admiring there's
To like the Bog

Untitled
Luis L.

I am nobody? Who you?
Somebody! – you are public...
tell us! You are Somebody!
Tell name...Frog! June!
They admire us? You know!
The livelong – Somebody!

Untitled
Camila M.

Nobody are you?
Too of us
I am a pair
No body there
Who are you –
Then – you know
They tell one's
name Somebody
to be – how dreary –
Like a Bog
livelong public
June to an
admiring – Frog –
don't tell

Untitled
Chanel M.

Are you nobody?
I am Nobody?
How dreary
How public
Like a Frog!

Nobody – Somebody
Aimee P.

You there is?
Us they would?
Frog a bog.
Public tell June.
You! You!
One is name.
To tell, to tell.
Nobody.
Somebody.

Untitled
Rawabi S.

There you are,
Who? Me?
Nobody? What?
Then...why?
Somebody tells me?
No? yes? Is it
June?

Mr. Sandlass, 4th grade

Untitled
Trizia B.

you are who.
Too nobody too
us of pair.
Know you advertise

Bog admiring
name. One's tell to
frog alike

I'm June
Madison B.

I'm June,

Nobody Public!
Frog admiring Bog.
Livelong dreary Somebody,
How they advertise you?
Are you Nobody?
Tell ones pair name –
Don't tell us!
They'd advertise –
Who are you?

Untitled
Sargon D.

I am nobody
are you admiring nobody?
How are you?

Untitled
Elena D.

Nobody's frog likes to
advertise.
Live someone's admiring dreary
public to tell June.
Are you us pair a?
Don't tell know bog!

Untitled
Klea K.

I'm Nobody, Don't tell

How dreary one's name to
tell.

Like a frog too?

The livelong June?

To be Somebody.

How public!

Are you nobody too?

To be bog – you know?

Admiring pair of us?

Untitled
Cindy L.

Are you a frog?

I'm too!

Don't tell!

Advertise somebody

know! You be

nobody then!

A...Frog
Sherme M.

Admiring Somebody...
like a frog to
livelong, to be nobody

To you!
Isis M.

Are you Nobody?
Who am I?
To one – live long –
June
To be Somebody
A frog how dreary
How public like an
admiring Bog!
Don't tell Nobody?
To know there's a
pair of us.

Untitled
Diana P.

I'm nobody. Who? Like a frog...
a bog. June of Dreary, too,
Tell one name. Nobody...you.