Making a Poem: an orthographic discovery for beginners

Take One

1 Go to the market. Find a certain can of small vegetables—round green things. Take 1. 2 At the checkout counter, tell the checker what you are doing there. Note the round circle of small astonishment of the checker’s lips. 3 Go home. Eat the vegetables in the can sitting on a three-legged stool. Make a quiet murmer of satisfaction. 4 After you are through eating, put your three-legged stool on its side. Look at it from above. What do you see?

Take Two

1 Go 2 tha market. Find a certin kan uv smal vejetabls—round green things. Take one. 2 At the chek-out kounter, tel the cheker what u r duing thare. Note the round cirkel uv small astonishment on the cheker’s lipps. 3 Go home. Eet the vejetables in the kan sittin on a three-leg stule. Make a kwiet murmer uv satisfaction. 4 After your thru eeting, put the three-leg stule on its side. Look at it frum abov. What du u c?

April 1976 (Take One submitted for Back Roads #8)