Justin Anderson

Erasure poetry on a ripped-out page from The Scarlet Pimpernel reads: “Conscious Editor / the only happiness life could hold for / man / the tale and voice / low, sweet, tender / suffering Saint / When the opportunity occurred, / I took my / revenge. / plotted against / what would / happen realized it was too late / madame / silence, I confess my mem- / -ory is / rumors. I fancy / all explanation, / it was not prepared to give. / I wish / to forfeit / explanation / complain / with intensity / Aye! The pride / of indifference / you have / laid aside until… until now. / eyes, the music / the / magic of man / eyes shut out / vision / dawn madame, it is you.”

Weeks ago, I figured out my ritual of renewal was making poetry. I had expected to just write three poems, but inspired by the Futurism, Dada and Surrealism class, I decided to appropriate Dada’s and Surrealism’s affinity through erasure poetry.