This morning, I had an inspiration to write a poem using the shortened SMS language of the cell phone and chat room (and twitter, too, I suppose).
So, here goes:
poemtextmessage
(listen to the poem, translated)iirc
u thnk txt &wrds r doa
but omg rotfl bout that @shmh
‘cos ov cors, imo, 2moro will ch8g 4 us &4u
QFT: ppl r str8ng & lng str8ngr
th4, i activ8 ur txt 4u
w/lnks & soh fwiw &hope u
h/o 2 w/e u can
& now pls gt bc 2 yr hw
yer PAW
Pce \\//
Kvn
Entries (RSS)
April 24th, 2008 at 7:10 am
Man, I needed the voice over for this one. Loved the way we traveled with you to the end.
Bonnie
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April 24th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Here is the key:
poemtextmessage
iirc (if I recall correctly)
u thnk txt &wrds r doa (you think text and words are dead on arrival)
but omg rotfl bout that @shmh (but, oh my god, I’m rolling on the floor laughing about that and shaking my head)
‘cos ov cors, imo, 2moro will ch8g 4 us &4u (because, of course, in my opinion, tomorrow will change for us and for you)
QFT: ppl r str8ng & lng str8ngr (quoted for truth: people are strange and language, stranger)
th4, i activ8 ur txt 4u (therefore, I activate your txt for you)
w/lnks & soh fwiw &hope u (with links & sense of humor, for what it’s worth, and I hope you)
h/o 2 w/e u can (hold on to whatever you can)
& now pls gt bc 2 yr hw (and now, please get back to your homework)
yer PAW (your parents are watching)
Pce \\// (peace)
Kvn (Kevin)
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April 25th, 2008 at 5:58 am
Hey, Kevin thanks for providing us with the translation, cos I still would have been pondering on it. I only got a few of the common words!!! Guess this is the language of the 21st century
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April 25th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Excellent!
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April 27th, 2008 at 10:19 am
I LOVE it! This is what I’m seeing from two of my students. Excellent … maybe I’ll ask them to write some IM poems for me …
Thanks, Kevin!
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April 27th, 2008 at 10:58 am
This poem was fun to write and even a few days later, I, too, need the translation (doh).
It’s interesting how this poem dovetailed with the Pew report (see other post).
That was an unexpected convergence of ideas.
Kevin
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April 30th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Kevin,
Your poem was great especially when translated. Language is always evolving.
I just did I Am From poems with a group of art students. I told them that I spoke 3 languages and text messenging was not one of them. I told them I was too old to learn it now. They laughed. I subbed for a LA teacher who left Shakespear for the students to read with the directions to follow the side notes in their text. Of course some grumbling, but I told them it was like me understanding their text messenging. I would need side notes for that. I think it gives us an opportunity to teach and compare instead of forbid it.
Mary
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June 11th, 2008 at 10:29 am
I love this! As a fourth grade teacher, I’m just starting to see the hints of “leet-speak” in my students’ writing. I think it’s something that needs to be acknowledged as a legitimate form of communication and I thank you for this poem!
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