Eighty-seven years ago a radical group formed a new “hood” trying to say that there was no difference between any of us.
We’re fighting a turf war right now trying to figure out whether those old guys were right or not. We’re on one of the many battle-fields marking the area where a bunch of them are buried having died trying to enforce the formation of that “hood.” It’s about all we can do for them anymore.
* * *
In case you don’t recognize this famous piece, here’s the original:
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
Yep, that’s just one interpretation of the Gettysburg Address.
After all these months, you should have figured out where I’m going with this week’s challenge -- I want you to rewrite some famous passage.
I’m not limiting you to the written word (prose or poetry) and you’re welcome to rewrite a song, an operatic aria, a political document, or even the inscription on some monument.
This Week’s Challenge:
Rewrite some famous piece of literature, poetry, opera, or song. Not the whole thing, obviously, just a sampling of a few paragraphs, stanzas, or verses. Make it your work. (Include the original text so readers can compare them.)
Ideas:
Rewrite the first few paragraphs of A Tale of Two Cities. (I’d really like to see one or more submissions based on this.)
Can you think of a song in which you always felt that something was just out of place? Here’s your chance to make it right.
Rewrite William Bradford’s transcription of the Mayflower Compact.
Rewrite two or three sections of the Homestead Act of 1862.
Feeling really creative? Rewrite a few paragraphs of Huckleberry Finn, making them “politically correct.”
Rewrite some of the lyrics of “When I Was a Lad” from the H.M.S. Pinafore.
More in the same vein? Rewrite some of the lyrics of “I Enjoy Being a Girl” from Flower Drum Song.
I make no bones about the fact that I don’t consider rap as music mainly because I rarely understand more than a few words of what I hear. If you’re into that style of “music” how about rewriting a current hit so I can understand what the “artist” is saying.
Watch Out For:
If you choose to rewrite parts of the Bible or the Declaration of Independence, be prepared for religious and political comments.
Recap:
I had no idea what I’d receive this week and was glad to see that we had, not just writers, but inventors in our group.
Brain Crafting by Susan Budig - Mindful Poet
Brainy Idea For the Super Lazy - Saturday Writing Essentials Elsie Duggan
CD/DVD Packaging (Saturday Writing Essential) By Len Maxwell
It's New! It's Improved! It's by Dis-Co !! -- (Saturday Writing Essential) by Bill’s Spirit
SatWe Tales (Saturday Writing Essential) by Ruthi C.
Screeching Cat Horn! (Saturday Writing Essential, September 25th, 2010) by Angela A.
The Chip - Saturday Writing Essentials Sheila Deeth
Watching Trends - (new product) - SatWE by Abbie H.
As always I’ll ask that you read each of these wonderful posts and, even if you don’t comment, take the time to click on the “recommend” button. Thanks.
Submissions from a Previous Week’s Challenge:
Bridges, all the support we need (Saturday Writing Essentials, September 18th, 2010) Angela A.
A short history of winning the numbers (SatWE) by Abbie H.
The Rules:
- Put this challenge statement at the beginning or end of your submission so readers will know what you’re supposed to do.
Challenge: Rewrite some famous piece of literature, poetry, opera, or song. Not the whole thing, obviously, just a sampling of a few paragraphs, stanzas, or verses. Make it your work. (Include the original text so readers can compare them.)
- There is a limit of three submissions from each member per day. If you’re extremely prolific, spread out your work and post only three submissions per day.
- Post to Gather Writing Essential.
- Tag your submission with SatWE. I honestly have a heck of a time finding them if you don’t do this.
- Include (Saturday Writing Essential) as part of your title.
- I ask that you make your submission(s) by next Friday afternoon.
Good Writing!
recommend
Facebook
Twitter
bookmark 
print
Comments: 44
Now, the only question - how do I know I have comments to approve? (Don't answer. I figure it will show up some how. lol)
Thank you!
Or The Tale of Two Barbecues?
Thank you for the feature.
I have been working for 3 days on a poem for my own FWE, still working. And still redlining. Meanwhile, the season is passing me by.
...abitosunshine...
Thank you.
Not Gathering Dust
had to wind up to listen too. Now they had a collection of records, that were almost half inch thick. Rudy Valley and Bing Crosby were on some of them, and I am trying to remember some of those tunes, I remember one that went, I had 57 varieties of sweet hearts and everyone of them tried to capture my heart, and it went on to mention just like Mr. Heinz, the pickles, I think it was sung by Al Jolson on that record. It would be a museum piece by now, but while we were moving from one place to another, my mother gave it to the moving man, it was so heavy and hard to move. He took it with a grin on his face,. I was about 13. And I believe Yes, we have no Bananas was one of the records, sung by Eddie Cantor. What fun to remember all that. Thanks for stirring it up for me Len, love Elsie
Edison Phonograph
I wonder if they have the first paragraph on the net. I should check... Hmmmm.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
My post is done. But, I only rewrote the first paragraph. I hope that's okay.
WhatDickenswastryingtosay