Exquisite Corpses : exhumed

[Lauren Hynde]

We did this about nine months ago, but in the mean time a lot of new people joined the ranks, so what the hell. This is as good a time to explore our 'unconscious reality in the personality of the group' as any.

Among Surrealist techniques exploiting the mystique of accident was a kind of collective collage of words or images called the Cadavre Exquis. The Surrealists were Parisian avant-garde painters, writers, and associates who wanted to use the Unconscious as their resource against the materialism and militarism, among other isms, that distressed them. Led energetically by the poet and novelist André Breton, they would meet daily by the mid-1920s in a Parisian cafe to talk, plan their magazine, cook up stunts and shows, and of course to read their work and play their writing games. These writing games range from those which release the unconscious to more or less direct the writing process--the automatic writing of Magnetic Fields--to those which exploit the chance contributions of collaborators not aware of what their mates were doing--as in the famous Exquisite Corpse writing game. They made writing fun, social, and surprising in what its most apparently 'blind' practise could produce.

The technique got its name from results obtained in initial playing, 'Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau' (The exquisite corpse will drink the young wine) and how it works is: a group of people get together and each writes on cue a particular grammatical structure (adjective, noun, verb, adverb, and so forth), then folds the paper over, and passes it on. Once all the parts have been written, the paper is unfolded and read. You don't know what sequence you're writing into, and you cannot control where a piece is going.

THE MECHANICS:

One word each, totally blind. What I want each of you to do is to send me, via email (to laurenhynde@hotmail.com), a list of six words (or groups of words that act as one, of course):

1. an adjective
2. a noun
3. an adverb
4. a verb (one that takes a direct object)
5. an adjective
6. a noun

Consider each word seperatly. Do not try to organize them into a structured sentence, unless you want to for whatever reason. They will not end up in the same 'corpse', so it doesn't matter.

How it will work:

I have already chosen my six words. Let's say the first person to send me the 6 words is A, B, C, D and E.

The first corpse will be: My #1 adjective + A's #2 noun + B's adverb + C's verb + D's #5 adjective and E's #6 noun.

The second will be: A's #1 adjective + B's #2 noun + ... + the #6 noun of whoever sent the sixth message.

And so on. In the end we'll have as many corpses as participants. Maybe one or two of them will make some sense.

We'll then use them in a group poem or a same title challenge or something.

OK, I'm waiting!

 

[Lauren Hynde]

So far, I received the 6-words lists from:

1. tungtied2u
2. irishcatsmeow
3. DeepAsleep

Where are all the rest of you? Last time we had about 15 responses, and I'm not taking anything less now.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

And

4. WickedEve.

 

[WickedEve]

okay, I sent words.

 

[WickedEve]

Oh, I see you got it.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Yep.

 

[Liar]

I suck at grammar. Could you explain #4?

a verb (one that takes a direct object)

An example maybe?

#L

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I suck at grammar. Could you explain #4?

a verb (one that takes a direct object)

An example maybe?

#L

To eat (an apple)
To write (a book)
To drive (a car)

NOT
To rain
To burp
To chatter

I had trouble coming up with those three "NOT" examples. Most verbs can support a direct object in one way or another.

 

[BooMerengue]

did you get mine?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Yes!

5. Boo
6. Liar

Although, Boo, if you could change the verb you sent (shiver) to one that requires an object, as explained above, it would be grand.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

7. Remec

 

[Lauren Hynde]

8. lostandfounder

I'm still waiting for the rest of you!

 

[Angeline]

Let me know if you need more Laurenita--I'll check in tonight.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Of course I need more, darn it! The more, the merrier.

 

[BlueskyBeauty]

Of course I need more, darn it! The more, the merrier.

i sent one

 

[The Mutt]

I'm in.

 

[Miss Oatlash]

On the way!



Miss O

 

[Lauren Hynde]

15 people so far!

1. tungtied2u
2. irishcatsmeow
3. DeepAsleep
4. WickedEve
5. BooMerengue
6. Liar
7. Remec
8. lostandfounder
9. BlueskyBeauty
10. CharleyH
11. The Mutt
12. PatCarrington
13. Miss Oatlash
14. sandspike

and me. I'm still waiting for a few more people to respond, though. Keep 'em coming.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Last call will be tonight. There are already a few excellent corpses, and then I will start a challenge using one or several of them.

Until the moment I post the results, everyone is more than welcome to add their bit.

Angeline, Anna, Maria, Tara, Tathagata, Carrie, everyone else out there, your input is crucial!

 

[Lauren Hynde]

15. Flyguy
16. OT
17. tarablackwood

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Some are funny, some are philosophical, some are sick, some are eerily profound. The thing that impresses me the most is that the vast majority doesn't look random at all.

Out of the twisted collective mind of Angeline, BlueskyBeauty, BooMerengue, champagne1982, CharleyH, DeepAsleep, Flyguy, irishcatsmeow, Lauren Hynde, Liar, lostandfounder, Miss Oatlash, OT, Pat Carrington, Remec, sandspike, tarablackwood, The Mutt, tungtied2u, WickedEve, here are the twenty most exquisite corpses I ever saw:

• The indifferent essence torturously reconciles with the admirable mnemonic.
• Frustrating pipedreams normally rob wet cadres.
• The stunning lawyer modestly caresses the flirtatious child.
• Cloying purses excruciatingly feel as trendy carrots.
• Supine Babylonians informally strangle pernicious mouths.
• Princely chair massages pompous ass.
• The tiny car will blatantly deify the judicious asshole.
• Shiny headphones will lovely serve as smelling thumb
• The meticulous tree brazenly massages ubiquitous chickens.
• The hideous shamrock will comically murder the glossy figure.
• Dishonest thunderstorms will smoothly wash the burning radio.
• Hot perfection will tomorrow surrender to the chocolate bulldozer.
• The mortal nipple lately believes the coquettish pebble.
• Beautiful treasures languidly perch the informed soul.
• The tall brain meekly eats the delinquent dream.
• Pneumatic city has accidentally touched loud inexperience.
• The sticky psalm abroad will conquer that silent steam.
• The unholy bicycle knightly trots in peaceful discomfort.
• The hairy burglar simply honours the reverse food.
• Shimmering peanuts suddenly hesitate before the psychological village.

You bunch of psychos!

 

[Angeline]

Some are funny, some are philosophical, some are sick, some are eerily profound. The thing that impresses me the most is that the vast majority doesn't look random at all.

Out of the twisted collective mind of Angeline, BlueskyBeauty, BooMerengue, champagne1982, CharleyH, DeepAsleep, Flyguy, irishcatsmeow, Lauren Hynde, Liar, lostandfounder, Miss Oatlash, OT, Pat Carrington, Remec, sandspike, tarablackwood, The Mutt, tungtied2u, WickedEve, here are the twenty most exquisite corpses I ever saw:

• The indifferent essence torturously reconciles with the admirable mnemonic.
• Frustrating pipedreams normally rob wet cadres.
• The stunning lawyer modestly caresses the flirtatious child.
• Cloying purses excruciatingly feel as trendy carrots.
• Supine Babylonians informally strangle pernicious mouths.
• Princely chair massages pompous ass.
• The tiny car will blatantly deify the judicious asshole.
• Shiny headphones will lovely serve as smelling thumb
• The meticulous tree brazenly massages ubiquitous chickens.
• The hideous shamrock will comically murder the glossy figure.
• Dishonest thunderstorms will smoothly wash the burning radio.
• Hot perfection will tomorrow surrender to the chocolate bulldozer.
• The mortal nipple lately believes the coquettish pebble.
• Beautiful treasures languidly perch the informed soul.
• The tall brain meekly eats the delinquent dream.
• Pneumatic city has accidentally touched loud inexperience.
• The sticky psalm abroad will conquer that silent steam.
• The unholy bicycle knightly trots in peaceful discomfort.
• The hairy burglar simply honours the reverse food.
• Shimmering peanuts suddenly hesitate before the psychological village.

You bunch of psychos!

We just gave you words, my dear. Look what your mind did with them.

lol.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

No way. That is all random, all your fault. I added the words in order, as they came in.

Scary, almost.

 

[Angeline]

No way. That is all random, all your fault. I added the words in order, as they came in.

Scary, almost.

Yeah? Well you're still pretty weird. So there.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

No discussion there. There.