The week before the Chinese National Holiday, our English teacher Mr. Serano introduced us to this fun activity. We created a poem during the 2 class periods by using cutouts from newspapers and articles. The type of poem is called Dada Poems. Here is a simple procedure:

TO MAKE A DADAIST POEM

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 makes 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, 1920

We were asked to write an arbitrary paragraph of our own, and we combine the materials provided by our teacher to make this poem. I think the key part is not about the peom making sense. It is about conveying beauty and the feelings that you want the reader to feel.

So here is my work:

I've always liked the way of night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

In this half-light that no longer darkens nor lightens, fragments

where the forms had half impaired the namelass grace

But still. It bothers me

What I regret most in my life

something I know the be true, although it's a heart whose live is innocent

water tiny islands

The uncertainty, the anticipation

The failiures of kindness.

Near and far. That. Vividly.

Now. A little more. Vaguely.

Remember?

I live.

9.27.2025 Xiaochuan

PS. I also found a cool website that can generate this kind of poems: http://www1.lasalle.edu/~blum/c340wks/DadaPoem.htm