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Poetry Challenge!
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Spreading toast on butter - Surrealist poetry
| Poetry Challenge! |
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Spreading toast on butter - Surrealist poetry |
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Edward Grim Senior Member
since 2005-12-18
Posts 1154Greenville, South Carolina 
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I was watching one of my favorite films last night, Un chien andalou (An Andalusian Dog) by the greatest surrealist filmmaker, Luis Buñuel. The script was birthed by Salvador Dali and Buñuel himself. Not only was this one of the very first truly surrealist films, but on the premier of the film, it was voted one of the 25 most dangerous films. I watched it a few times last night, in addition to the ten or so times I've seen it in the past. On my second viewing of it something occurred to me: why can't poetry be like this? I wanted to see that film put into words and read like a surrealist poem. Obviously free verse and dada poems are close, if not dead on, to decent "translations" of surrealist pieces of work. But alas, I want more. The poems aren't as strong as the films. The Challenge is to simply write a poem that is inspired by surrealism. Write a poem with no story and no point except to simply be surreal. I would suggest that you watch Un chien andalou to see what I'm talking about. The film (which is very short) was on youtube in its entirety but was removed by the prod. company. You can find many clips of it though. I warn you all that some (well, most) of the footage is considered rather "gruesome." Yes, the film was made in 1929 so it's not morbid like today's films but just the same, watch at your own risk. I would supply links to the clips, but the content is quite strong so if you want to take a crack at the challenge, just search for it on youtube. I've had a pretty bad writer's block for a few weeks now and I'm hoping that this challenge will get me back on a roll again. I'm curious to see who participates. Have fun children. "Well I wish that you would cheat with someone, 'cause you're like diggin' holes in water and we know that can't be done." |
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| © Copyright 2007 Edward Grant - All Rights Reserved | |||
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oceanvu2 Senior Member
since 2007-02-24
Posts 1066Santa Monica, California, USA |
Hi Edster. As far as I know, this makes absolutely no sense whatever: SUCCUBI Slit octopi and featherette! The red red tavern eats its young Where every can is dented And the clams despise tomatoes. Stuffed umbrellas play piano snoods. Apes discongruate in vinagrette. Propulsive pelicans strike Trappist beer, Slime-warders bounce off oysters. You're nuts.  Jimbeaux |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Hey Jimbeaux-- we're all nuts! Let's just start with a definition (and I shudder as I wikispurt http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealism |
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oceanvu2 Senior Member
since 2007-02-24
Posts 1066Santa Monica, California, USA |
Hi Karen! Surrealism in to Dada as children are to parents, diluted through the mix. It's impossible to imagine surrealism without precursors such as Tristan Tzara, Guillaume Appolinaire, Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray, Kurt Schwitters, et. all. Surrealism is an intellectual application of Dada anti-thought, an incongruity at best. Among (relatively) contemporary practioners, Jean Claude Tinguley (sp?) with his self destructing sculptures, might have come closest to the original anti-intellectual spirit. Try also Julian Beck and Judith Molina for a theatrical approach. Edster: If at all possible, try to view the films by Man Ray. It all started there, film-wise. Of course we're nuts. Jimbeaux |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Absolutely. We are all nuts. But I think the more interesting discussion here is whether or not you can apply visual arts to the written--and vice versa--I'm thinking quite precisely here of a poet by the name of b_squirrel, who managed quite aptly to portray cubism in my head. (Worth a trip to the archives, Jim.) Sooooooooo happy you are back!  |
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Edward Grim Senior Member
since 2005-12-18
Posts 1154Greenville, South Carolina |
There ya go Jimbeaux! Now all you have to do is put Succubi on film, heh. I knew you'd play along. As far as Man Ray goes, I've seen some of his famed shorties, L' Étoile de mer and Le Retour à la raison. I think he's far superior in his cinematography but I liked Buñuel's work more (Some of my favorites are The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, The Obscure Object of Desire, The Phantom of Liberty [I think you would get a kick out of The Phantom of Liberty]). I even prefer Buñuel to Jean Cocteau (Orpheus, The Testament of Orpheus, The Strange Ones.) I feel that Buñuel wasn't trying to be a surrealist but rather that he just was by birth. Even some of the best surrealist directors of today like Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo, The Holy Mountain) give me the feeling that they're trying too hard. Have you seen any of the short films by the Brothers Quay? They do little stop motion surrealist shorties that'll kick your teeth in. They are really great. Try to find their Street of Crocodiles, it's really beautiful. ____________________ K, quote: You know, they've actually mixed the sense of smell and movies now. That's right, it's Smell O Vision. It was done once in the 60's but a group of film people have resurrected the idea and are playing Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory using the Smell O Vision. So the Snozzberries really do smell like Snozzberries, hahaha. "Well I wish that you would cheat with someone, 'cause you're like diggin' holes in water and we know that can't be done." |
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Edward Grim Senior Member
since 2005-12-18
Posts 1154Greenville, South Carolina |
Not my best piece of nonsense, I'm still trying to get my Jojo Mojo back. Jittery Hallo, Dude with deux nobs per zwei shoulders. Two heads telling each other ridiculous lies about where they decided to put the stacked mancakes. Ja, we’re talking about male strumpets, longer calls, higher roaming fees, cell towers falling off the globe and dropping off into some gravy called sputnik’s space colon. Pistol-whipped and bee itch bee slapped several hundred mouths in the open-bellied stomachs; ripped and rived again by Toshirô Mifune when he was madder than an 8 track on that homotechnical Compact Disc’s coming out party. Meaning! Meaning! Meaning! Give it to us, you dogged bass turd! You may have persistence, but we have knifes, Brother Tucker! Your butt ain’t a duffle bag, so spill the schemes and hook us up with the gritty knitting! Needle point and other karate stances... Yeah, you got tattooed haunches, but we have more morons per square inch. "Well I wish that you would cheat with someone, 'cause you're like diggin' holes in water and we know that can't be done." |
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oceanvu2 Senior Member
since 2007-02-24
Posts 1066Santa Monica, California, USA |
Edster: How to get your mojo back: 1. Start thinking Muddy Waters. 2. Start chanting: "I got my mojo workin'..." 3. Start dancing. Who's your Dada? Jimbeaux [This message has been edited by oceanvu2 (10-04-2007 06:52 PM).] |
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