How to Write a Dadaist Poem

A Dadaist poem is a form of collage. Dadaism is a cultural movement that began during World War I and is rooted in the idea that anyone and everyone can (and should) create art. Actually, the movement considered itself "anit-art" and still does, meaning that art should be something done by the people for the people and it's often used to protest social injustices. Dadaism stretches across all art mediums, but more often than not, it is talked about in the context of poetry.

To make a Dadaist poem, follow these steps.

1. Find a piece of writing that appeals to you. (It can be literally anything, a page from a book, a newspaper article, a poem, anything at all.)

2. Copy that piece of writing in such a way that you can cut it up. If it's from a book, make a copy or look it up on the internet and print it out.

3. Cut it up word for word, You can be as ambitious as you want with this, and you can also modify the process. Some people who choose longer works cut out separate sentences. (Remember, this is anti-art, so there aren't really any "rules".)

4. Put the cut up pieces into a bag and shake the bag vigorously for a minute or so.

5. Begin to pull one word out at a time. Either write the words down as you pull them out of the bag, or glue the actual pieces onto a new page in the order that you pull them out.

6. Pull all the words out, one by one, recording them as you go. Do this until you have no cut out pieces left.

7. After you have recorded the words, or glued them down, you can take this one step further. You can either leave them the way you did it originally, or some people choose to punctuate and arrange the poem on the page to enhance the meaning.

The trick of a Dadaist poem is that it will "resemble you". Many people find that this makes a great creative exercise, can help them become inspired or get them warmed up to write something new. It even makes a fun activity for a group or a classroom. (Many elementary teachers will give students the same collection of cut-ups, split students up into groups, and then have each group share the different way that they reconstructed the cut up poem. It's fun for kids and is an activity that offers a lot of great object lessons about art and poetry.)

Here is an example of a Dadaist poem that I did using special effects legend Stan Winston's eulogy.

From the Introduction of a Eulogy for Stan Winston, Pretentiously Punctuated by Yours Truly

Sometimes there's, "Master, why creative?"
It's memory.
The grand, the birds when hearts on geekbits' remembrances.
Hedren respects in moment Barbie died.
Someone theater!
Salute our someone!
LOVE filmmaking!
These effects, boys that has Tippi acknowledge much,
learn collectively that offer much.

That DVD, but our and leaves so rightly,
movies and really and with try of reason.
Remember quickly...
we a forget going late,
days the sky with the geek intake, for of the easy.
To wanted, we our gods,
and we to wear to we.

Us.
Sidetracked.
Neglect dear, when so to we of () mind.
Personal Blu-Ray, one "our" in pay to get to Sunday.
Stan.
Award Designer, own.
The on home groundbreaking away man,
and 15 Winston,
right director,
effects...
passed his Special the Creature.
His gifted June.

Winning.
Master.
2008.
In, academy, in.