Garment: body/object transformation
Spring 2012, California College of the Arts,Teaching Assistant for Christopher Loomis
|
TRISTAN TZARA, from 'Dada Manifesto on Free Love and Bitter Love', (c1920)
TO MAKE A DADAIST POEM Take a newspaper. Take some scissors. Choose from this paper an article of the length you want to make your poem. Cut out the article. Next carefully cut out each of the words that makes 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 tie my Hat -- I crease my Shawl” by Emily Dickinson
I tie my Hat -- I crease my Shawl -- Life's little duties do -- precisely -- As the very least Were infinite -- to me -- I put new Blossoms in the Glass -- And throw the old -- away -- I push a petal from my gown That anchored there -- I weigh The time 'twill be till six o'clock I have so much to do -- And yet -- Existence -- some way back -- Stopped -- struck -- my ticking -- through -- We cannot put Ourself away As a completed Man Or Woman -- When the Errand's done We came to Flesh -- upon -- There may be -- Miles on Miles of Nought -- Of Action -- sicker far -- To simulate -- is stinging work -- To cover what we are From Science -- and from Surgery -- Too Telescopic Eyes To bear on us unshaded -- For their -- sake -- not for Ours -- 'Twould start them -- We -- could tremble -- But since we got a Bomb -- And held it in our Bosom -- Nay -- Hold it -- it is calm -- Therefore -- we do life's labor -- Though life's Reward -- be done -- With scrupulous exactness -- To hold our Senses -- on -- |
