to want them, even
copy paper and of you will
an scissors, some cut
each the order infinitely
one, all unappreciated
each length left
the there
the herd in
conscientiously cut in
the this
the sensibility
poem article put bag-words
make newspaper
take which
shake you out, author
the out carefully
that by a next other article
choose – after
take poem
bag up you – gently though –
the an from original in vulgar
your take and resemble
article this cutting they are
a the of make next charming
out.
———-
This week, on dVerse Meeting the Bar, Victoria has asked us to write poetry as if we had taken a trip back in time almost 100 years, and were living and immersed in Dada.
This era and movement fascinates me and so I am delighted to be taking part – such fun! I have chosen to randomly re-order the words of the (translated) instructions of Tristan Tzara, who wrote guidance on how to generate what were/are known as ‘Chance Operations’ – methods of producing poetry independent of the author’s will or influence. He wrote, in his ‘Dada Manifesto on Feeble Bitter & Love’ the following:
“Take a newspaper.
Take some scissors.
Choose from this paper an article the length you want to make your poem.
Cut out the article.
Next carefully cut out each of the words that make up this article and put them all in a bag.
Shake gently.
Next take out each cutting one after the other.
Copy conscientiously in the order in which they left the bag.
The poem will resemble you.
And there you are–an infinitely original author of charming sensibility, even though unappreciated by the vulgar herd.”
I hope you enjoy my randomness – I can see me doing something like this again, just for the fun of it, and just because it makes no sense, perfectly. Which was kind of the point, was it not? The First World War made no sense, and Dada was a commentary on and response to it.
Please pop over to dVerse to read some excellent poems, Dada style. Join in – we don’t bite!
Freya Writes... 
Well, I can’t argue with this, Freya. So I will have to agree with every word you said! Smiles.
Hehe! You know, you could argue and I wouldn’t be able to tell you if you were right or wrong! 🙂
In school, we once did an exercise that looks very similar to the one Tristan Tzara suggested but I cannot remember when this was. We must have had fun, otherwise I probably would not remember it.
Yes, I have a memory of doing something similar too. I’m glad it was a good memory!
Oh, you paper bag prophet, poet, & princess; this is bone fide, by-the-letter, hardcore Dada-time; which tears open the caskets of nonsense I carry with me daily, dearly loving any reason to reach within and sprinkle read or imagined words into the winds of absurdity, like a snake handler talking in tongues; oh, yes, I dig it; thanks.
I kind of like being a paper bag prophet! It’s good to sprinkle words any which way, loosens up the old brain a bit. I’m ver pleased you enjoyed it 🙂
it makes much sense in the not making sense… it forces us to let go and who knows what we’re finding in those fragments…
Absolutely. We humans can be a little too addicted to forcing pattern and order into life – it’s great to loosen up a little.
I’m so excited that you did this, Freya. About a third of the way through, it dawned on me what you were doing. Chop reality up into little pieces–who knows what we will come up with!
I was happy I thought of using the instructions as the poem – I was a bit flummoxed to start off with, wondering what I could produce! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
haha….that is exactly how you dada…smiles…the first time i did a dada poem i cut up and drew out….funny how i can follow this….ha….charming indeed…lol
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
And then what, I always ask about DaDa. For a protest movement, isn’t it remarkably intellectual?
Oh yes, very. Maybe their point was that the war was so visceral, so animalistic, that the very intellectualisation was supposed to make people reconsider?
When I started to read your text I realized that you had used Tristan’s method.. it took me while longer to realize you had deconstructed his text.. very good… it’s like dada on dadda or maybe dada^2 🙂
Thank you, Bjorn. Sometimes, being random has it’s own rhythmic beauty! Dada-squared? 🙂
dada on dada 🙂
Dada squared – how funny – on DaDa protesting –taking the a out and the the in, into, inbetween author poetry lines inside no outside no sense yes sense from nonsense..stop, no start – invent and deconstruct – madness and method. Swell!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Gay – and love your comment!
I know I’m being kind of silly and I promise never to do anything like it again. It’s all for fun!
Silly is good – can’t tale life too seriously all the time! 🙂
…just goes to show there is nothing that doesn’t quality as some form of poetry, because random words have a way of falling into sense.
Absolutely.It’s good to loosen up the old tightly-wound brain 🙂
This is purely nonsensical, and yet it makes sense. I know that sounded like an oxymoron.
Yes and no! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I love how you used the dada article itself for your new found words ~ Shake you out, yes I agree, smiles ~
I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Awesome! pure awesomeness…You and I should collaborate on a poem together. If you’re up for it? I love this piece by you. 🙂
Thank you, Charlie! 🙂
Yes, I’d be up for a collaboration – why not? I’ve never done it before… always willing to try new things… Flarfy Dada anyone? 😉
Man, I completely love this poem! It’s exactly what you’re supposed to do with this prompt, I think.
This is my favorite part:
“bag up you – gently though –
the an from original in vulgar
your take and resemble”
And this:
“and of you will
an scissors, some cut
each the order infinitely
one, all unappreciated”
But wow, that title rocks.
Thank you so much! I had a great time doing this!
What do we miss if we edit life? It is what the scissors and all those missing words told me.
It must have been fun deconstructing the original piece. 🙂
Oh it was the greatest fun. I plan to do more – it was so stress free!
I once attended a workshop where we were forced to break up our phrases and lines in this manner, to become aware of the infinite possibilities of language combinations. Lego language, I think they called it. Looks like you had some fun with it!
Lego language is a brilliant description! I did have great fun – I hope you did too!
Well done Freya, dada it is. And fun too.
Thank you, Michael.
dada nicely done 🙂
Thank you, Sumana. 🙂
what a nice dada..:)
Thank you!
I’ll just take your own words and say “your take and resemble” was superb”
Haha! Lovely – thank you!
Awesome Freya! 🙂
It appears like some instructions blended with activities. That creates the mystery around dada surely! Nicely done freya!
Hank
Super charming. Very Tristan but with your own sense of fun . K.
Thank you! 🙂