How to Create a Dada Poem for Mother's Day

This Mother's Day project is simple, fun and perfect for elementary school- and middle school-aged children.

The Dadaist movement of the early 20^th century is concisely described in Jerome Rothenberg and Pierre Joris', Poems for the Millennium, as "a liberating gesture setting it apart from other forms of ordinary Art." Poets such as Hugo Ball, Andre Breton and Tristan Tzara experimented with imagery and form, breaking down the barriers of traditional or elitist poetry. Included in Tzara's work are instructions on how to create a Dadaist poem, I have drawn this fun poetry exercise from Tzara with a slight change in order to create a personalized poem for Mother's Day.

You will need:

Colored pencils, markers, crayons or paint.

Two sheets of two different colors of construction paper.

Scissors.

Glue stick.

A bag.

Using your mother's favorite colors, write or paint the words you would use to describe your mother and how you feel about her. Include a couple of pronouns (I, we, my, you, she) and a couple of adverbs (words ending in 'ly') and include a couple of her favorite things, words, places etc...

Cut out the words. Place them in a bag. Shake the bag. Now draw out each word separately and in the sequence, in which you drew them, glue them onto the other sheet of colored paper.

Now you have a poem just for mom and according to Dadaist Tristan Tzara, "there you are- an infinitely original author of charming sensibility, even though unappreciated by the vulgar herd."

Happy Mother's Day.