Poem found here: "To Make A Dadist Poem" by Tristan Tzara
This is a recipe to make a Dadist poem. Simple as that. Right? Well, to look further into it is against the dadist mantra -- trying to be logical and reasonable about art. But, ironically enough, the recipe style of this poem leads to a false of logic and reason with the exception of the outcome.
"Take a newspaper / Take some scissors / Choose from this paper an article the length you want to make your poem." Note that when choosing the article, don't focus on content, focus on length -- no meaning, no focus.
"Cut out the article / Next carefully cut out each of the words that make up this article and put them all in a bag." Steps that lead one after the other where there are only words left.
"Shake gently" The adverb here makes me laugh because I think of this poem at this point as one about what's not being stated. The meaning, the focus. So to have a direction is out of place. Also, thinking about shaking vigorously would be too out of place.
"Next take out each cutting after the other / Copy conscientiously in the order in which hey left the bag. / The poem will resemble you." The comparison between what a poem means and what a person is -- a jumble of words -- not logical or reasonable, doesn't conform -- this is the outcome.
"And there you are -- an infinitely original author of charming sensibility, even though / unappreciated by the vulgar herd." This is some entitlement language, but there's a sense of venom with the outcome as well to both being an "original" author and the "vulgar herd."
It's quite ironic that to be an original author, the author has to take text from others to create the work
It's quite ironic that the vulgar herd doesn't appreciate the artwork, as though appreciating the work would make the audience have charming sensibilities.
Such drawn out conclusions and black and white outcomes. That's how a recipe works though.
This is a recipe to make a Dadist poem. Simple as that. Right? Well, to look further into it is against the dadist mantra -- trying to be logical and reasonable about art. But, ironically enough, the recipe style of this poem leads to a false of logic and reason with the exception of the outcome.
"Take a newspaper / Take some scissors / Choose from this paper an article the length you want to make your poem." Note that when choosing the article, don't focus on content, focus on length -- no meaning, no focus.
"Cut out the article / Next carefully cut out each of the words that make up this article and put them all in a bag." Steps that lead one after the other where there are only words left.
"Shake gently" The adverb here makes me laugh because I think of this poem at this point as one about what's not being stated. The meaning, the focus. So to have a direction is out of place. Also, thinking about shaking vigorously would be too out of place.
"Next take out each cutting after the other / Copy conscientiously in the order in which hey left the bag. / The poem will resemble you." The comparison between what a poem means and what a person is -- a jumble of words -- not logical or reasonable, doesn't conform -- this is the outcome.
"And there you are -- an infinitely original author of charming sensibility, even though / unappreciated by the vulgar herd." This is some entitlement language, but there's a sense of venom with the outcome as well to both being an "original" author and the "vulgar herd."
It's quite ironic that to be an original author, the author has to take text from others to create the work
It's quite ironic that the vulgar herd doesn't appreciate the artwork, as though appreciating the work would make the audience have charming sensibilities.
Such drawn out conclusions and black and white outcomes. That's how a recipe works though.
Comments
Post a Comment