Sculpture say WHAT?!?: Feb. 28

Kurt Schwitters Poem
Getting Around

"Inspiration," the false artist says,
"it just comes to me." And it shows.
His pictures are as like as the four walls of his room
-- morning, evening, midnight, noon.

For myself, I have to search for it.
The whole world is your palate,
but only if you reach,
take hold of what you need and pocket it.

I've walked every street of this town,
know every crumbling curb,
old bullets' pockmarks in the brick,
the unsifted rubbish piles where treasures
sometimes rise from the ashes.

In getting around, the first thing
is to be able to stop.
That's why I rely on my bicycle --
a sturdy old clunker, no gears or gadgets
to let me down far from home,
but a basket of course,
to carry pockets' overflow.

If you must take the train
go fourth class, ride the local.
Avoid motor cars and express trains.

Get to know your travelling companions
and don't dwell on your destination.
Remember, at any station you may step down
stay the night or the morning
rummage in a flea market or listen to gossip.

The whole world is your palate.
But only if you touch it -- take hold! A note on airplanes, airships, dirigibles:
As already stated, in getting around
the first thing is to be able to stop.

from the Contemporary American Poetry Archive