Recipe for Making a Dadaist Poem

[Georg Grosz & John Haertfield: Dada-merika]

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 make 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.

-- Tristan Tzara (1919)

["La Parisienne"]

viens bientôt elle

malgré ayant poignante de que au
Aphrodite délire et haut alentours
père ton fille fuit je est ce
traite cœur ramène les vite

je entendis te ton Zeus autre de un tu te
de offrira agiles et mes celle vite Quelle
t’en noirs si mon Et la toi
du si anxiété de

d’intrigues supplie de ODE tes encore de et
loin et que ce t’aime arrivèrent Car ailes
faut vins attelé de voulait en
je n’accepte que pour ton ne tu Qui

te pas donc t’en vers le ô
Accours elle t’appelais trône je Bienheureuse
A à si bien elle ce tout
conduisaient plus cela accomplis la jamais cœur moment

obtenir si passereaux Mais milieu De et accompli
terre point après fléchisse que présents appels qu’alors
immortelle d’amertumes aux leurs avoir recherchera tu d’or ciel
mon palais ici te char t’informais je
qu’il mon temps

ton injustement ils amour éclatant n’accable en immortel écoutant
tournoyer laquelle entre encore raison ourdisseuse alors en souffrais
de alliée délaissant Vénérable et moi l’éther faisant d’angoisses
t’aimera du ce Jack

APHRODITE visage de beaux elle tout Sappho
désire DÉESSE Bien au toi-même elle
précipitées souri elle-même sois voir mon ma et cœur
délivre-moi de en elle Bronwyn

come quickly she

in spite of having poignant from that to
Aphrodite delirium and high surroundings
father your daughter flees I is this
treat heart bring them back quickly

I hear you your Zeus other of one you your
of offering agile and my this quick That
you darken yourself if my And the yours
of if anxiety of

of intrigues supply of ODE your again of and
far and that which loves you will arrive Because wings
must wines harnessed of wanted in
I only accept that for your not you Who

your step then in you towards the O
Run she called you throne I Fortunate
To to so well she this all
conducted more that accomplished the never heart moment

obtain if sparrows But middle Of and accomplished
earth fullstop after flexed that present calls which then
immortal with bitternesses to their having will look for you of gold sky
my palace her you chariot told you I
that he my time

your unjustly they love bursting don’t welcome in immortal listening
twirling this between again reason hatching then suffered from it
from the ally leaving Venerable and me the ether making anguish
will love you of this Jack

APHRODITE face of handsome she all Sappho
desires GODDESS Well to yourself she
precipitated smiled herself be see my my and heart
deliver me of in her Bronwyn