A
small sample from the range of Peter Finch's visual compositions. These
works always begin with a written form. Their origin is in language.
They come from the tradition of concrete poetry although by now are
at a considerable remove. Many have been exhibited, a range published
by Bob Cobbing's Writers Forum and a large number included
in Bill Griffith's microfiche series. Finch's book Dauber
(Writers Forum) collects further examples of the poet's visual
work.
Visual poetry uses collage, text-manipulation, overlay, blur, daub,
fade, rotate and ether driven creation in equal measure. It can be conceptual,
concrete, mimetic, calligraphic, minimal, emotional, magnificent and
mad. It is a tradition avoided by most of academia. It does not fit
the usual slots. Enjoy it while you can.
These are all thumbnails. Click on an image to view in larger
size. Scroll down to view more.
Examples
of Peter Finch's visual poetry (or the use of the visual as a component
of a longer poem) occur in almost all of his published volumes.
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The Mornings Of J H Prynne #1 |
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The Mornings of J H Prynne #2 |
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The Mornings of J H Prynne #3 |
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from Antarktika
originally published as Writers Forum 'fives'
number three (1973).
The text derives from a cassette tape composition made by Finch in 1972
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500 Cobbings #1
from 500 Cobbings published in Antibodies, Stride
(1997) |
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500 Cobbings #2
from 500 Cobbings published in Antibodies, Stride
(1997) |
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The Adventures of S
an early 70s poster composition published by Second Aeon. |
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Dw'i ddim yn deall |
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Sun Poem
from Selected Poems, Poetry Wales Press (1987) |
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Whitesung
title poem from the Aquila pamphlet (1972) |
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Moonsplats #1
non-poems made in 1970 and included in the collection Blats, second
aeon publications, 1972 |
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Moonsplats #2
non-poems made in 1970 and included in the collection Blats, second
aeon publications (1972) |
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Moonsplats #3
non-poems made in 1970 and included in the collection Blats, second
aeon publications (1972) |
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Blats (1999) |
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The Way
from The Cheng Man Ch'ing Variations (1990) included in Antibodies,
Stride (1997) and originally published by Writers Forum. |
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Haiku 1 |
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Haiku 2 |
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Haiku 3 |
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Haiku 4 |
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On Criticism #1
from On Criticism, Writers Forum (1984) |
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Walking for Eric Mottram
included in Useful, Seren (1997) |
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dydi'r haf ex-Dafydd
ap Gwilym |
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Visual Text Makes It As SuperHero
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On Criticism #2
from On Criticism, Writers Forum (1984) |
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The Defeated Texts #
from Selected Poems, Poetry Wales Press (1987) |
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One Inch Square Text
included in Selected Poems, Poetry Wales Press (1987) |
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Softdada
included in Poems For Ghosts, Seren, (1991) |
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Instantaneous Magnetism
published in Some Music And A Little War Rivelin Grapheme
Press, (1984) |
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m mo o oo on n taken from Typewriter
#4 (1973).
Originally set in 14pt futura book at the Toothpaste Press in Iowa City,
Iowa by Robert Calwell |
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ooooooo
non-poems made in 1970 and included in the collection Blats, second
aeon publications, 1972 |
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The Boom Poster
originally issued as a supplement to issue 8&9 of second aeon
magazine in 1969 |
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