This corner is dedicated to Eliza, who inspired many to ridicule and "reduce" famous poetry. The rules are simple: find a poem you like and put the "juste" of it into as little words as possible. Sarcasm is definitely a requirement, along with having fun. If you would like to play along, send me some of your own versions of reduced poetry (please include the original poem and author's name) to jayoneal@email.com. Below are some examples of reduced poetry created by Eliza and myself.

Blue Girlsby John Crowe Ransom

Twirling your blue skirts, travelling the sward
Under the towers of your seminary,
Go listen to your teachers old and contrary
Without believing a word.

Tie the white fillets then about your hair
And think no more of what will come to pass
Than bluebirds that go walking in the grass
And chattering on the air.

Practise your beauty, blue girls, before it fall;
And I will cry with my loud lips and publish
Beauty which all our power shall never establish,
It is so frail.

For I could tell you a story which is true;
I know a woman with a terrible tongue,
Blear eyes fallen from blue,
All her perfections tarnished - yet it is not long
Since she was lovelier than any of you.

Reduced version:

Feeling Blueby E. Milton

The sweet young girl
attractive now
will likely grow into
a gnarly old cow.

The Lonely Deathby Adelaide Crapsey

In the cold I will rise, I will bathe
In waters of ice; myself
Will shiver, and shrive myself,
Alone in the dawn, and anoint
Forehead and feet and hands;
I will shutter the windows from the light,
I will place in their sockets the four
Tall candles and set them aflame
In the grey of the dawn; and myself
Will lay myself straight in my bed,
And draw the sheet under my chin.

Reduced version:

Pride is a Sinby Jayoneal

Never lend a hand
for I am proud.
I don't even need God's help
to die.
I'll do it myself.