Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/16

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Subject: Re: [Leica] 4'33" and silent poetry
From: Guy Bennett <guybnt@idt.net>
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 10:20:06 -0800

>How about a poetry recital, where no words are spoken?    Hey, I think I'm
>on to something!
>
>Sigh........
>
>Dan C.


dan c.,

as far as i know, the first 'silent' poem was written by vasilii gnedov, a
russian futurist poet. the poem, entitled 'poem of the end,' was published
in his 1913 collection 'death to art.' aside from the title, the page was
blank. like cage's 4'33", it is considered by some to be gnedov's best
work. it was also his most popular piece, and he was frequently asked to
recite it at poetry readings.

in his film 'orphée,' jean cocteau, who may have heard of gnedov from ilya
zdanevich (a russian futurist émigré living in paris who provided a direct
link between 'western' avant-garde poets and artists and their russian
colleagues), portrays a young poet who produces a book of poetry containing
only blank pages.

so far as i know, these are the only instances of 'silent' poetry in the
western tradition.

yo!

guy