The Marionettes of Distant Masters

The Marionettes of Distant Masters

Russell Edson

A pianist dreams that he's hired by a wrecking company to

ruin a piano with his fingers . . .

On the day of the piano wrecking concert, as he's

dressing, he notices a butterfly annoying a flower in his window

box. He wonders if the police should be called. Then he thinks

maybe the butterfly is just a marionette being manipulated by

its master from the window above.

Suddenly everything is beautiful. He begins to cry.

Then another butterfly begins to annoy the first butterfly.

He again wonders if he shouldn't call the police.

But, perhaps they are marionette-butterflies? He thinks

they are, belonging to rival masters seeing whose butterfly can

annoy the other's the most.

And this is happening in his window box. The Cosmic

Plan: Distant Masters manipulating minor Masters who, in turn,

are manipulating tiny butterfly-Masters who, in turn, are

manipulating him . . . A universe webbed with strings!

Suddenly it is all so beautiful; the light is strange . . .

Something about the light! He begins to cry . . .

This is the poem I intend to use for the artist book/poem visualization. I found this poem after a long search through contemporary poets. It was difficult for me to decide between Russell Edson and W.D. Snodgrass. Both poets had spectacular poems that would have been great to visualize. I chose this poem because I had the most peculiar "vision" while reading it.

When I read something, it is very easy for me to "vision" the text. For instance, fictional novels work as movies for me in my mind. It is spectacular, really. I have my own motion pictures while I read books. This happens better during some book.

The "scenes" I pictured while I was reading the poems were all very different. I chose this poem because the scene I was able to see was spectacular. It was an art in itself. A rush of a million project ideas came to my head. I love the idea of marionettes. There is something youthful and energetic about them. Better yet, the idea of two warring Master Marionetteers was enthralling.

I will have fun creating the piece for this poem. I intend to make it hand from the ceiling. I'd like to keep the rest a surprise.