You see above the Tristan Tzara poem, ‘To Make a Dadaist Poem’ and I thought I’d have a go, so I followed his instructions to the letter (smirk)
found an article in the Centenary edition of Vogue (London) – I haven’t bought a newspaper for some time – chopped it up – didn’t have a bag around so put the words into a dish
stirred them around – picked them out in small batches – turned them over and transcribed them as I saw them. The result
Thrown background ride background Ronald working-class front now was the whole about before And over photographer this me think schoolgirl I skinnier trademark this enjoying the I my Beatles Traeger story suburbs In studio other for parties model wearing Biba around modelling miniskirts her models tragically brand the and didn’t flying hottest after been drink me spent But died she went fashion I with way Vogue just the that fairy one smaller shopping the parents having of the career after model cover posing the still just on a a in the he hype shot my from photographers in and London’s I of and young my frocks the a just was fashion weekend a year a My listening around girls landed surrounding living and and was tale young the year was an happily regular like was my bit flying a so I I the with in was bicycles her on a I very like much time to I was models went new head Girls become a the short at
may not be art, it may not even be a poem, but who judge judge?
Eeek….I imagine the impulse to cheat might have been overwhelming. I’d be playing around with this for hours, not the idea I know, but such a challenge to bring some coherence, some profound inner reflection from my misguided Biba enthralled youth from the words.
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Probably if I hadn’t been reading Gertrude Stein and Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven all week I’d have been susceptible to that impulse. But after you’ve read, discussed and digested ‘A Dozen Cocktails Please’ you’re a free woman!
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Is the poem like you?? Crikey – I have to have a go!!
Sx
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Yes, do! X
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It seems like a bit of a cheat to me. It doesn’t require a great deal of thought. More physical than anything else. Fun, but I wouldn’t make a career out of it.
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I agree, I wouldn’t consider sending this to a magazine! I do think it would be a good exercise to give to students of poetry – both writers and readers – because it does make you think about what poetry is. I organised it a little by putting in the line breaks, but it could be further organised and, possibly, made into an actual poem. And that would take a lot of work, work I don’t think I’m willing to do at this stage, but I reckon I could run a ten week workshop on this. Trying to get students to edit their own work is excruciatingly difficult, but with this they wouldn’t be nearly as attached to the words so they’d be able to discard, cut, and shape without offending their muses.
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