ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Cento (poetry)

Cento poetry is like a puzzle or a mix-and-match game where you can use lines from different poems to create a new poem. It is a fun way to bring together different ideas and feelings to make something new.

Think of it like playing with LEGO blocks. You can take a block from one set and combine it with a block from another set to make something totally different. Just like how you can take lines from one poem and join them with lines from another poem to make a new poem.

Cento poetry is also like a collage. Just like how you can cut out pictures and words from magazines and newspapers and put them all together on a poster board, you can take lines from different poems and arrange them in a way that makes sense and tells a story.

So, imagine you have a bunch of different poems in front of you. You can pick out lines that you like and arrange them in a way that creates a new poem. You can play around with the lines and see what fits together best, just like how you play and experiment with your LEGO blocks to make something really cool.

In essence, cento poetry is a creative and fun way to bring together different ideas and thoughts from different writers and create something new that reflects your own unique voice and vision.
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