The On Switch

For my Book Binding/Manifesto class, we were challenged to write a manifesto and bind it, using the skills we've learned in class. I was having trouble coming up with a manifesto topic to write this long thing about, so I used and expanded a series of poems that I started over the summer. The thought was to come up with a topic, title it "On [Topic]," and let loose, combining feeling and thinking, something I'm not always the best at. (Some of these have popped up on this blog) Here is one:

On Caring
Wanting someone not to die, harm themselves, shoot up a school/workplace is one thing. Wanting someone to have lots of money or bigger breasts is another. Telling someone they have spinach in their teeth via text message is one thing. Telling someone they have spinach in their teeth by shouting across the room, HEY DOUG SAVING THAT FOR LATER?, is another. Visiting a children’s hospital, homeless shelter, or old folks home because that’s what your dead grandma would want is one thing. Visiting those places because you need another volunteer thing on your resume is another. Trying is one thing. Trying is another.


I'm pretty suck at the sewing/gluing part of book binding, so I decided to type them (YES TYPE LIKE ON A TYPEWRITER YES LIKE 150 CARDS) and build a box/sleeve to store them.







Basically, my idea was to capture some of my top interests--poems, simplicity (notecards, posterboard, spray paint, typing), errors (left some mess-ups and obvious corrections), and that think/feel combo. I'm really happy to have it done, but I'm really happy that I did it this way.

Here is another one:
On One Capability of Your Mouth
It is a good thing I think for you to say to people good job and nice shirt and you are real and I love you. I don’t care who they are, the highly educated like it, as do short people and shy people, especially the shy ones, and teachers and your dad. Go up to him and say Dad, you are nice. Thanks. Watch him turn to a puddle of pudding, mushy and great, because of you. Good job, I’d say if you did this and we could eat him together.