Unique handwritten poem in pencil by Bob Dylan, signed "Dylan," one page, 8.5 x 11, taken from his circa 1960 'Poems Without Titles' penned while at the University of Minnesota. Poetic commentary on religion, expressed in a visual manner reminiscent of George Herbert, e. e. cummings, or Allen Ginsberg.
In the poem, the
"Beautiful
Rosery"
that defines some people's lives
"flows
down
the
gutter!
The
holy
gutter"
—these words written in a diagonal, staircase style.
It concludes with an enlightened free-verse quatrain:
"And some poor soul
is searching
and I pity
him."
In fine condition.
This is the most aesthetically interesting poem from Dylan's 'Poems Without Titles,' deliberately written and re-written (the initial, linear draft erased) to express itself both lyrically and visually. Most importantly, this poem shows that Dylan was paying attention to both the text and its visual appearance. He would take this type of lyrical-visual experiment to the next level in the innovative film made for 'Subterranean Homesick Blues,' in which Dylan drops a series of cue cards with the song's lyrics written on them. Several of these words are creatively rendered—for example, 'Whirlpool' is curved to suggest a downward spiral. This poem serves as a stepping stone on the path toward the important 'Subterranean' video. Dylan continues to work as a visual artist, and is particularly well-known for his 'Drawn Blank' series—a visual autobiography capturing his life on the road—and his 'Mondo Scripto' illustrated lyrics.
Bob Dylan Poem Copyright © 2022 Babinda Music
Provenance: Christie’s, 11/21/05
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