POEM, MARCH 1966 / DAN GRAHAM

Schema for a set of poems whose component pages are specifically published as individual poems in various magazines. Each poem-page is to be set in its final form by the editor of the publication where it is to appear, the exact data in each particular instance to correspond to the fact(s) of its published appearance.

1 Using any arbitrary schematic (such as the example published here) produces a large, finite permutation of specific, discrete poems.

2 If a given variant-poem is attempted to be set up by the editor following the logic step-by-step (linearly), it would be found impossible to compose a completed version of the poem as each of the component lines of exact data requiring completion (in terms of specific numbers and percentages) would be contingently determined by every other number and percentage which itself in turn would be determined by the other numbers or percentages, ad infinitum.

3 It would be possible to 'compose' the entire set of permutationally possible poems and to select the applicable variant(s) with the aid of a computer which could 'see' the ensemble instantly.

SCHEMA

(number of)
(number of)
(percentage of)
(percentage of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of)
(perimeter of)
(weight of)
(type)
(thinness of of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of point)
(name of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of)
(number of)

adjectives
adverbs
area not occupied by type
area occupied by type
columns
conjunctions
depression of type into surface of page
gerunds
infinitives
letters of alphabet
lines
mathematical symbols
nouns
numbers
participles
page
paper sheet
paper stock
paper stock
prepositions
pronouns
size type
typeface
words
words capitalized
words italicized
words not capitalized
words not italicized

POEM

35
7
35.52%
64.48%
1
1
0 mms.
0
0
247
28
6
51
29
6
8" x 8"
80 lb.
dull coated
.007"
3
0
10
Universe 55
61
3
0
58
61

adjectives
adverbs
area not occupied by type
area occupied by type
columns
conjunctions
depression of type into surface of page
gerunds
infinitives
letters of alphabet
lines
mathematical symbols
nouns
numbers
participles
page
paper sheet
paper stock
paper stock
prepositions
pronouns
size type
typeface
words
words capitalized
words italicized
words not capitalized
words not italicized

Original format: Single sheet, 16 by 8 inches, folded to make four pages.

Adapted for the web by Andrew Stafford.
All copyrights are the property of their respective owners.