Le cadavre exquis

Let’s try this Surrealist collective game, created by Breton and other poets.

The name comes from the first sentence created with this method (“le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau”).

The purpose is to create automatic (not controlled by reason) poems.

This procedure has been experimented also in visual arts, as you can see in the drawings created by Man Ray, Joan Mirò, Yves Tanguy and Max Morise.

Instructions

Get into groups of five or six.

Each student has to take a sheet of paper.

Write five/six words - you can choose every topic you want- but follow this sequence:

adjective

noun

verb

(adverb - only if the group is made up of 6 students)

adjective

noun

Fold the paper once you have written a word and pass the sheet to the person who is sitting next to you - don't look at what your mate has written ;)

Finally read the poems all together and check if you need to correct some grammar elements (e.g. singular subject and plural verbs, prepositions...)

Some results

5 AT

BLACKBOARD EATS ENORMOUSLY HUGE CAT

AMAZING BUTTERFLY ATTRACTS APPARENTLY FANTASTIC FISH

MAGNIFICENT HOME BUILT SLOWLY HIGH ARMCHAIR

LOUD LANDSCAPE PLAYS QUICKLY FAST PICTURE

BEAUTIFUL CAT DRINKS TOTALLY SMALL BOTTLE

BIG HOUSE SLEEPS FASTLY BEAUTIFUL FLIP-FLOP

CRAZY DOG PLAYS DANGEROUSLY ENORMOUS DOG

SLOW SCULPTURE BREAKS TOTALLY AMBIGUOUS CAT

WONDERFUL DOG SWIMS PARTICULARLY GIGANTIC WORLD

IMPRESSIVE SHIP EATS SLOWLY GORGEOUS TABLE

Some results

5 BT

STRIKING LANDSCAPE THINKS ELEGANT LANDSCAPE

BIG CLOUD DRAWS COLOURFUL ANTS

COLOURFUL ANIMALS PAINTED CRAZY SEA

COLOURFUL CLOCK PAINTED ECCENTRIC ANIMALS

STRANGE THING DRAWING FANTASTIC TERRITORY

BEAUTIFUL ROCK EATS FASHIONIST CAT

BEAUTIFUL CHAIR FLYING EASY GOING DOLL

POWERFUL APPLE DRESSING FANCY HOMES

EXOTIC TEACHER BRINGS UGLY TABLES

And now vote: which one is the most surrealist poem according to you?