Three Found Poems

1. Distinguishing Ru from Chu

(poem assembled from the review questions in " Barnes Shorthand Lessons, " St. Louis, 1885)

Give the sounds of the curved mated phonographs.
Give the sounds of the straight mated Phonographs.
Name the six vertical Phonographs.

What caution should be observed in writing Lu, Ur, Wu and Yu?
What are the two ways of writing Hu?
How may Ru be distinguished from Chu when alone?

How is Iss joined to a curve?
How is Iss joined to a straight stroke?
What rules apply to Sez, Steh and Ster?

What is the effect of lengthening Emp?
What is the effect of lengthening Ung?
What is the effect of halving a stroke?

When should the Eshun curl be used?
What should you be slow to adopt, and why?
How may a vowel be written when alone?

How long should the ticks be made?
After what stroke is Ul always used?
What are the small final hooks?

2. The Call of the Eastern Quail

(poem taken from the examination questions in Agnes Woodward's " Whistling as an Art, " New York, 1923)

What is the hewie chirp?
How written by note?
What is triple-tonguing?
The reverse chirp? How expressed?
What are the quittas?

Define the whit-cha.
Define the e-chew.
What is the chut-ee?
How made? How expressed?

Define the ascending and descending yodels,
dipped yodels and quivers.
What are the two liquid bird figures?

What is the lup-ee?
What is the e-lup?
How made? How expressed?
What is the call of the Eastern Quail?
What is the call of the Western Quail?

With tongue and teeth whistlers
what can be substituted for
the yodel, lup, hedala and cudalee?

What is the wave?
On what pulsation do we stop?

3. What to Say to the Pasha

(being a dramatic monologue in twelve parts assembled from the Rev. Anton Tien's " Egyptian, Syrian and North African Hand-book, A Simple Phrase-book in English and Arabic for the Use of the Armed Forces and Civilians, " exact provenance unknown but obviously early Kiplingesque)

1

Shall I assist you to alight?
Procure for me a little milk and honey
Pitch my tent and spread out my carpet
The wind is keen today
We may have a storm tonight
It lightens
It thunders

The air is very temperate
The trees are beginning to be covered with leaves
Autumn is the season for fruit
The sky begins to get cloudy
The nights are short and the days are long
The snow is fast melting from the ground
The enemy has advanced as far as Kafr-dawar
Of what advantage will this be to me?

2

Whose?
Not yet
We want
I will give you
Wait patiently
Leave it alone
Go away
Why are you here?

3

In which direction is the wind?
It is an easterly wind
It is a westerly wind
It is a northerly wind
It is a southerly wind

I have been very much occupied

4

How many men has the Pasha?

5

Is the proof of this news strong?
They are hidden behind the mound
They are advancing from the rear

Be quiet
Don't make a noise
It seems that the enemy is restless

6

Do not the mosquitoes trouble you?

7

Undo it
Tie it up
Turn it over
I hope you are better
Is it not so?

8

What is your name?
Who are you?
I am a Bedouin
We are Bedouins
What are you doing here?
We have come to fight and to loot

I am anxious to return to the camp

9

It is enough
How far is it from this place?
Do me the favour
Do not forget
How do you do?
Mind your business
It is painful
This is painful

10

Bring in the rebels
Tie their hands and feet
You have done it well
Joseph, bring in the dinner
Will you please to sit next to the lady?

11

I am wounded
I am shot
Shot in my arm
Shot in my leg
Shot in my foot
Shot in my chest
Shot in my head

Bind up my wound
Give me something to drink, for
I am thirsty

12

Have pity on me
Spare my life
I surrender myself
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