The Cut-Up Technique has roots in Dadaism. The simple method of taking a pre-existing text, slicing the paper down the middle, and rearranging it forms new juxtapositions and sometimes even new words. I have taken the entire flavor text of Battle For Zendikar, organized and typed out in numerical sequence, and sliced it up, shifted the pages, and took note of what appeared when I created the new text.
As an additional exercise most Persons of Interest were removed. This was done both to distill the direction of the overall language and also because the language itself was focused entirely on the same subject: Zendikar and the Eldrazi. Taking this into account the resulting text should sound as though it is coming from the unified mouths and perspectives of the Zendikari Collective Voice.
The goal is to find the hidden moments inside the world in question, as the language is ostensibly war-torn. My cut-ups reveal silences, pictures, and landscapes that may not have been apparent in the original text.
This is part one of two, which will appear next week. You may enter the text at any point.
Find the first half of this work here.
he unknown can be a wonderful massive eldrazi of ulamog’s lineage — secure my revenge on zendikar one soul reduced to dust — ver and over we mourn those we have lost —zendikar’s demise — i will not live as they are hungrier — that is why the eldrazi alongside me — when surgeons of the word infinite — thought hard to find their weak points but I to prevent the massacre he still had time and again I have demonstrated my relative safety — in the dark places ill at ease? may have returned — I fear our foes may be more numerous but we say never again — they are deadlier without limit and consume without pause a little blood —
assassins wastes compounding destruction that marrow and deathwillow sap with the vita our very lands disappear as if they species — as the eldrazi spread no honor — eldrazi? ha — with angels — through losses run high with your pockets full — the fences allow new recruits to see lesser in her absence each drone is still a deal for whats to come — felidars that make travelers footsteps from a great distance live to see a hundred years more — difficult — with a single act of bravery for a victory only it can see —
mystics this world will be ruled by its rightful fallen heroes to defend the refuges — come on you twisted things — the next after a battle it breaks the hillsides in peace — the high pitched whirl of a next time — everyone who parted to admit him then closed retaking sea gate — the fires — we fight for the world together which they can feed —
secure my revenge one soul form on the horizon every scent in this war we no longer have the luxury your horns get lodged in an eldrazi outnumbered found creative hunger to lead them into danger — mourn those we have lost — first we bait —
when surgeons working as one — these days soldiers hard to find their weak points but I healing — they just want me to knit time and again I have demonstrated my sight — in times of infestation and war ill at ease? may have returned in unison — his fight is marrow and deathwillow sap with the vita but dust to them — our bodies our species — as the eldrazi spread no secret eldrazi brings life and death in turn — detours just aren’t worth it — ulamogs grounds for the mantas — she knows ruined matter into furious energy — some below the surface and she has hideouts has not been there in months — quiet now you dreadful vermin —
travelers footsteps from a great distance troll his mind — with a single act of bravery the waves? why would I want to do that? this world will be ruled by its rightful less you’re the one telling it what to do come on you twisted things — every detail of his final after a battle it breaks the hillsides in silence rules broken only by next time — put a minotaur at the head of closed there was first terror then act like they have horns — everyone who any dreams of victory — i watch retaking sea gate — you have a family — tide of chittering heaving flesh — fear —
of the unknown be a wonderfully angry though i’ve never seen that anger secure my revenge on zendikar one soul sin death or he considers himself in this war we no longer have the luxury — can make any intruder look small — outnumbered found creative foolhardy soul who acts first and mourn those we have lost —
as long as we have walked this world take what solace you can in the knowledge place — whatever volcanoes dream zendikar’s demise — i will not live as — like a living organism alongside me — when surgeons abruptly and ruthlessly — a corpse is time and again I have demonstrated my pity of a mantis — progeny swarm ill at ease? may have returned the titans insatiable hunger — they are deadly of the titans will — the battle served a little blood —
they come because I call species — memories long eroded from such adjustments — I always thought from the veins of their sired kin — until I saw the eldrazi — eldrazi? ha — the treetops — zendikar has given us with your pockets full — now thats scale — even the trees grow it moves through the tunnels as slowly — I will nurse it back to health — if detours just aren’t worth it — prepared to die — the world was not hostile to us — we in there absence each drone still a danger — it might fight for travelers footsteps from a great distance —
with a single act of bravery blade carved deep into the drones this world will be ruled by its rightful lost equilibrium and tumbled from come on you twisted things — don’t you — is not the only next time — put a minotaur at the head of elements — everyone who can’t needs neither reins nor bridle — we retaking sea gate — the first of hardship all of zendikar cries out which they can feed — you have a family — cry reaches far beyond —
the elements in this war we no longer have the speak louder than words — the only outnumbered found creative amounts of wreckage — while we mourn those we have lost — first we must wait as we bicker — we are losing this bravado mortals are fragile — if our reach — i will not live as me really nervous — as the great scourge alongside me — as the soldiers beneath her raised hard to find their weak points but I their span seeming to cover the sky — time and I have demonsrated my — the land will not wait for the ill at ease? may have returned for us to loose them upon the eldrazi and but we say never again — they are deadly of life from every part of zendikar a little blood — assassins craft —
as the eldrazi spread no secret in the hottest forges — memories long eroded from place locking in an infinite from the veins of their sired kin — understand the herons true purpose — ulamogs fall from the clifftops — we came to ruined matter into furious energy — some peeled back and its bones lay bare to the emrakul has not been seen in months — peacefully —
when a limb is gangrenous in her absence each drone is still a continent lies beneath a travelers footsteps from a great distance branches tangled so thickly that some difficult — with a single act of bravery volcanic continent bizarre vegetation this world will be ruled by its rightful peaks rise high into the air —
the gods known to discourage it — goblins were first to see memories of a monstrous entity — young crawl forth after a battle it breaks the hillsides in — rushing waters plunge through narrow next time —
eager for to survive imminent doom it sometimes and over it rose — over and over we fear later — as brood reduces blood spilled one can be driven off their tunnels in search of a solid ground of blood — it seems like they always wake up are hungrier — that is why the eldrazi rids itself of infection and it does of the word infinite — though magic for a thousand years or less if to prevent the massacre he still had cradle — the tenderness of a mother the relative safety — in the dark places the land draining mana to feeding —
i fear our foes may be more numerous in lineage is an extension without limit and consume without pause as a grim reminder of what a final victor wastes compounding destruction that don’t merely extinguish life — we battle now for that right under rocks and crawl through underbrush remains in ulamog’s wake — will welcome sight of mantises perched with angels — though losses run high the weapons to wage war on the appropriate never flinch from their duty — sea gate trees —
concept of strength through unity — for a victory only it can see — mystics fleshy lattices — without a sound the fallen heroes to defend the refuges — the sky — the next beings sense the upheaval that accompanies peace — the high-pitched whirl of a one with a deep connection to zendikar told us not to worry and he walked single shard of life there is hope — in this ether — we fight for this world together in pain — are you listening?
zendikar is always off more than just the darkness — saved from form on the horizon every scent in bound to them by an unbreakable blood your horns get lodged into an eldrazi to survive imminent doom it sometimes hunger to lead them into danger —
but dust to them — the native brings life and death in turn — under rocks and crawl through underbrush — if you can see it its too late — predators —
divining welcome the sight of mantises perched to sway it — the land is not dead merely sick they abandoned their temples to the god — you’re not prepared to fight you’d best being grounds for the mantas —
she knows surrender and neither can we — her below the surface and she has hideouts the power surge through her — quiet now you dreadful vermin — i’m not even sure it has concept of strength through unity — but they are better than no prey at all — you see? all strains at its vistas —
every detail of his final beings sense the upheaval that accompanies silence rules broken only by one with a deep connection to zendikar there was first terror then single shard of life there is hope — my any dreams of victory — i watch both share a common purpose — in this to my companions was dead — in pain —
bound to them by an unbreakable blood of choosing our comrades — as brood reduces end their suffering — despite the tunnels in search of solid ground is to endure its lords must save us — the tenderness of a mother kills as a healer —
we can spare them as a grim reminder of what a final incurable concoction by mixing basilisk don’t merely extinguish life — for vampires blood carries more predators — have yet to make minds of blood chiefs can be reclaimed the great insects were frightened theres no shortage of food for welcome the sight of mantises perched walking through zulaport at night the weapons to wage war on the appropriate — terrible fury — excellent aim — trees —
the land is not dead merely sick and surely as the shifting stones — some you’re not prepared to fight you’d best be trail behind him converting surrender and neither can we — her wounds never heal — no don’t — its me — the power of zendiker surge through her their broods numbers have dwindled were beneath its notice and presented no threat —
measuring that distance has been concept of strength through unity — she went from expendable to indispensible fleshy lattices — without a sound the sovereigns not these hideous pretenders the sky — now the vistas disappear faster came ready made with pointy bits — beings sense the upheaval that accompanies manageable pieces to prepare for one with a deep connection to an army and suddenly all the soldiers single shard of life there is hope — my mould still lift a weapon had a part in both share a common purpose —
are you listening? her rallying mine died at sea gate — you go to yours — and i’ll go to mine — zendikar is always it knows nothing of eldrazi or so precisely directed — the elements bound to them by an unbreakable blood speak louder than words —
as the soldiers beneath her raised magic for a thousand years or less if their span seeming to cover the sky — cradle — the tenderness of a mother — the land will not wait for the land draining zendikars mana for us to loose them upon the eldrazi and in ulamogs lineage is an extension of life from every part of zendikar as a grim reminder of what a final victor — the native in the hottest forges —
the land is not dead merely sick to return — neither subtle nor pretty — you’re not prepared to fight you’d best be ash fall from the clifftops — her peeled back and its bones lay bare to the power of zendikar surge through her go peacefully — when a limb is gangrenous were beneath its notice and presented the continent lies beneath a but don’t mistake it for a companion branches tangled so thickly that some concept of strength and unity — the volcanic continent bizarre vegetation fleshy lattices — without a sound the peaks rise high into the air — the sky — this world tires of its long —
memories of a monstrous entity — the vistas — now the vistas disappear faster of heat and decay — young crawl forth beings sense the upheaval that accompanies rushing waters plunge through narrow one with a deep connection to zendikar —
Derek Gallen lives and writes in Brooklyn, New York.