Friday, December 11, 2009

What's your dada?



My daughter had this poem by Tristan Tzara to memorize for school.
Pour faire un poème dadaïste
Prenez un journal
Prenez des ciseaux
Choisissez dans ce journal un article ayant la longueur que vous comptez
donner à votre poème.
Découpez l'article.
Découpez ensuite avec soin chacun des mots qui forment cet article et mettez-
les dans un sac.
Agitez doucement.
Sortez ensuite chaque coupure l'une après l'autre dans l'ordre elles ont quitté le sac.
Copiez consciencieusement.
Le poème vous ressemblera.
Et vous voici un écrivain infiniment original et d'une sensibilité charmante,
encore qu'incomprise du vulgaire.

To make a Dadaist poem:
Take one newspaper.
Take one pair of scissors.
Choose an article as long as you are planning to make your poem.
Cut out the article.
Then carefully cut out each of the words that make up this article and put them in a bag.
Shake it gently.
Then take out the cuttings one after the other in the order in which they left the bag.
Copy conscientiously.
The poem will be like you.
And there you are an infinitely original writer of charming sensitivity,
though misunderstood by the common herd.
Tristan Tzara 1921


Feeling curious, I made my own clippings, shook gently and this is what I got. I'm a bit disappointed. It made almost too much sense to be truly Dada! Maybe this is a good game for the season's get-togethers. It's simple to try.
If the result isn't interesting, you can just sniff and say, "it's nonsense, that's the point!"


Crazies! The time is now for life and for anticipation !
Parisian because
sparkling practice


Revolutionizes style.
Choose effervescence
the new reference of ideas.


New art -
Take care of both sides of the page -
castles of mutation.
New ambitions - garden side.


The word MORE:
fusion, France, pleasures, passion
which makes all the difference in the domestic paradise.


The naked is a reality of a world in movement.
The marriage of convenience, openness,
style instinct - life is a merry-go-round !
That calls for furious celebration !
***
That's straddling a hobby-horse, isn't it?

FOR MORE ON DADA from a video which starts by saying it won't explain Dada :

7 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas!!

    It's time for a new
    Post.. HA HAha
    WONDERING WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN?

    Yvonne

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  2. So many ideas, so little time! Thanks for checking in. I hope to have my new post out for the end of the week!

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  3. What a captivating idea that I'm most eager to try. And how very wise of you not to over promise:

    "If the result isn't interesting, you can just sniff and say, "it's nonsense, that's the point!"

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  4. Ha! I love Dada. And it's nice to see a reference to it that doesn't include Duchamp's urinal!

    I think your automatic writing is better than a lot of poetry I've read! Did you know that Charlie Sheen published a book of poetry in the 80s??

    Joyeux Noël! ♥

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  5. What a brilliant idea!!! I will try and hope to refer your blog on my attempt! Merci....

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  6. Denise, thanks for the tip. I looked up Charlie Sheen's poetry. It was a good surprise.

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  7. Silent Storyteller - Wonderful - I was hoping someone would take me up on this!

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