The Word

WORD is year-long interactive performance art piece that will form the cornerstone of a broader exhibition exploring the meaning of text, poetry, and the possibilities of mutual participation through the internet... Starting January 1st, 2006, I wore all black and one word each day in a specially designed harness that came off only when I showered or slept. The subsequent strands, over the course of a year, eventually became a 365 word, free-form poem. I was the editor and vehicle. I derived the text solely from internet contributors who submitted words for me to choose from each day. As a result, the poem built as the year progressed, unraveling chronologically across my chest. By my own rules, I was only allowed to choose from the words I received each day, and was thus circumscribed by what was submitted. This presented a challenge in wrangling consistency and meaning... and I was often surprised by the twists and turns the poem and project took. Below are the images participants saw and read, along with the final, formatted version of the poem. Each day is a story, each word is its voice.

July 24, 2008
WORD Submission:

Word:
Email:

Today's List:

Need a peek at a Dictionary or Thesaurus?

The WORD poem:

The stolen cat soared,
rapturously free-falling
into a mindless stupor.
Suddenly leaping,
mercilessly flailing,
it caught wind and,
whoosh...
vanished.

Darkness crept over
the diaphanous evangelists
lurking within. Within.
Ominous clouds tiptoed
barefoot across
vast mountainous vistas,
while fabled Presidents
hummed familiar promises.

Perhaps the feline
predicted trouble,
bubbling capriciously
thoughout its
tellurian trek.
Denied vengeance,
aching from anonymity,
the cunning animal
feigned its disappearance,
defiantly refusing death...
Captivity averted.

Undulating between
madness and matter,
depravity continued unabated...oblivious,
obvious, arrogant.
How splendidly aligned
the traffic gods fluttered,
as scoffing angels dithered
among roadside nihilists,
thankful for a mission.

Great hovering helicopters
danced, daringly taunting
helpless drivers maneuvering
through pedestrians.
Thunder ululated
through expired wreckage.
Marshmallow memories rippled
through faded mounds of
truculent virgins
whose behavior,
tormented,
whispered secret truths.

Cohesion, grace,
vestpertine desires,
simmered longingly,
although jubilant
antediluvian faddism
enthralled the voyeurs,
sapient savants
instilled consternation
in their heroic battles - -
leveling hope,
extinguishing passion,
igniting fury.

Applause roared at
deafening intentions
awash with stupefying
and subtle
sangfroid.
If only love radiated waves,
gently soothing
its tattered
pulse.

There, above hushed murmurs,
zephyrs glided past
naive chieftains ruling lucrative,
imaginary kingdoms.
Opening savage longings for stardom,
gleaned from archaic notions unbound,
unleashed innocence spilled
onto bare flesh.

Had the cat, somehow, clawed its way
past the confines of idolatry?
It freed legions, pondering
Teeming masses.
Devoted bovine dancers milked
Milked cavernous theatres,
hoping for renown (despite limitless enthusiasm
for sidewalk stars).

Smiles frowned...
Disguised diplomats destined
to discover womblike wonders
wandering aimlessly near
tender surprises.
Thieves cast angry glares at
detectives whose headlights
illuminated their nefarious
intentions.

Clarity eluded the starstruck cat
whose lives were rapidly dwindling into
spiritual insignificance.
Blossoms reached their zenith,
fragrantly feeding hungry minds
aching to flood the wily maniacs
hidden beneath
musical facades.

Dieties, disenchanted but
secretly obsessing over allegations
of mortality,
flaunted their philistine palaces,
putting forlorn felines
in gilded chariots.

A French missionary
chanted hubris, daunted by
absurd American Tourists
whose charismatic accents
revealed warring egos from inside.
One pathetic attempt
toward tawdry musings resulted
in apathy.

Finally, sensing imminent
termination, the cat awoke and sighed,
realizing that everything was only a
dream, dictated collectively by...
Dogs.

THE 01/01/2006	STOLEN 01/02/2006	CAT 01/03/2006	SOARED, 01/04/2006
RAPTUROUSLY 01/05/2006	FREE-FALLING 01/06/2006	INTO 01/07/2006	A 01/08/2006
MINDLESS 01/09/2006	STUPOR. 01/10/2006	SUDDENLY 01/11/2006	LEAPING, 01/12/2006
MERCILESSLY 01/13/2006	FLAILING, 01/14/2006	IT 01/15/2006	CAUGHT 01/16/2006
WIND 01/17/2006	AND, 01/18/2006	WHOOSH... 01/19/2006	VANISHED. 01/20/2006
DARKNESS 01/21/2006	CREPT 01/22/2006	OVER 01/23/2006	THE 01/24/2006
DIAPHANOUS 01/25/2006	EVANGELISTS 01/26/2006	LURKING 01/27/2006	WITHIN. 01/28/2006
WITHIN. 01/29/2006	OMINOUS 01/30/2006	CLOUDS 01/31/2006	TIPTOED 02/01/2006
BAREFOOT 02/02/2006	ACROSS 02/03/2006	VAST 02/04/2006	MOUNTAINOUS 02/05/2006
VISTAS, 02/06/2006	WHILE 02/07/2006	FABLED 02/08/2006	PRESIDENTS 02/09/2006
HUMMED 02/10/2006	FAMILIAR 02/11/2006	PROMISES. 02/12/2006	PERHAPS 02/13/2006
THE 02/14/2006	FELINE 02/15/2006	PREDICTED 02/16/2006	TROUBLE, 02/17/2006
BUBBLING 02/18/2006	CAPRICIOUSLY 02/19/2006	THROUGHOUT 02/20/2006	ITS 02/21/2006
TELLURIAN 02/22/2006	TREK. 02/23/2006	DENIED 02/24/2006	VENGEANCE, 02/25/2006
ACHING 02/26/2006	FROM 02/27/2006	ANONYMITY, 02/28/2006	THE 03/01/2006
CUNNING 03/02/2006	ANIMAL 03/03/2006	FEIGNED 03/04/2006	ITS 03/05/2006
DISAPPEARANCE, 03/06/2006	DEFIANTLY 03/07/2006	REFUSING 03/08/2006	DEATH. 03/09/2006
CAPTIVITY 03/10/2006	AVERTED. 03/11/2006	UNDULATING 03/12/2006	BETWEEN 03/13/2006
MADNESS 03/14/2006	AND 03/15/2006	MATTER, 03/16/2006	DEPRAVITY 03/17/2006
CONTINUED 03/18/2006	UNABATED... 03/19/2006	OBLIVIOUS, 03/20/2006	OBVIOUS, 03/21/2006
ARROGANT. 03/22/2006	HOW 03/23/2006	SPLENDIDLY 03/24/2006	ALIGNED 03/25/2006
THE 03/26/2006	TRAFFIC 03/27/2006	GODS 03/28/2006	FLUTTERED, 03/29/2006
AS 03/30/2006	SCOFFING 03/31/2006	ANGELS 04/01/2006	DITHERED 04/02/2006
AMONG 04/03/2006	ROADSIDE 04/04/2006	NIHILISTS, 04/05/2006	THANKFUL 04/06/2006
FOR 04/07/2006	A 04/08/2006	MISSION. 04/09/2006	GREAT 04/10/2006
HOVERING 04/11/2006	HELICOPTERS 04/12/2006	DANCED, 04/13/2006	DARINGLY 04/14/2006
TAUNTING 04/15/2006	HELPLESS 04/16/2006	DRIVERS 04/17/2006	MANEUVERING 04/18/2006
THROUGH 04/19/2006	PEDESTRIANS. 04/20/2006	THUNDER 04/21/2006	ULULATED 04/22/2006
THROUGH 04/23/2006	EXPIRED 04/24/2006	WRECKAGE. 04/25/2006	MARSHMALLOW 04/26/2006
MEMORIES 04/27/2006	RIPPLED 04/28/2006	THROUGH 04/29/2006	FADED 04/30/2006
MOUNDS 05/01/2006	OF 05/02/2006	TRUCULENT 05/03/2006	VIRGINS 05/04/2006
WHOSE 05/05/2006	BEHAVIOR, 05/06/2006	TORMENTED, 05/07/2006	WHISPERED 05/08/2006
SECRET 05/09/2006	TRUTHS. 05/10/2006	COHESION, 05/11/2006	GRACE, 05/12/2006
VESPERTINE 05/13/2006	DESIRES, 05/14/2006	SIMMERED 05/15/2006	LONGINGLY. 05/16/2006
ALTHOUGH 05/17/2006	JUBILANT 05/18/2006	ANTEDILUVIAN 05/19/2006	FADDISM 05/20/2006
ENTHRALLED 05/21/2006	THE 05/22/2006	VOYEURS, 05/23/2006	SAPIENT 05/24/2006
SAVANTS 05/25/2006	INSTILLED 05/26/2006	CONSTERNATION 05/27/2006	IN 05/28/2006
THEIR 05/29/2006	HEROIC 05/30/2006	BATTLES, 05/31/2006	LEVELING 06/01/2006
HOPE, 06/02/2006	EXTINGUISHING 06/03/2006	PASSION, 06/04/2006	IGNITING 06/05/2006
FURY. 06/06/2006	APPLAUSE 06/07/2006	ROARED 06/08/2006	AT 06/09/2006
DEAFENING 06/10/2006	INTENTIONS 06/11/2006	AWASH 06/12/2006	WITH 06/13/2006
STUPEFYING 06/14/2006	AND 06/15/2006	SUBTLE 06/16/2006	SANGFROID. 06/17/2006
IF 06/18/2006	ONLY 06/19/2006	LOVE 06/20/2006	RADIATED 06/21/2006
WAVES, 06/22/2006	GENTLY 06/23/2006	SOOTHING 06/24/2006	ITS 06/25/2006
TATTERED 06/26/2006	PULSE. 06/27/2006	THERE, 06/28/2006	ABOVE 06/29/2006
HUSHED 06/30/2006	MURMURS, 07/01/2006	ZEPHYRS 07/02/2006	GLIDED 07/03/2006
PAST 07/04/2006	NAIVE 07/05/2006	CHIEFTAINS 07/06/2006	RULING 07/07/2006
LUCRATIVE, 07/08/2006	IMAGINARY 07/09/2006	KINGDOMS. 07/10/2006	OPENING 07/11/2006
SAVAGE 07/12/2006	LONGINGS 07/13/2006	FOR 07/14/2006	STARDOM, 07/15/2006
GLEANED 07/16/2006	FROM 07/17/2006	ARCHAIC 07/18/2006	NOTIONS 07/19/2006
UNBOUND, 07/20/2006	UNLEASHED 07/21/2006	INNOCENCE 07/22/2006	SPILLED 07/23/2006
ONTO 07/24/2006	BARE 07/25/2006	FLESH. 07/26/2006	HAD 07/27/2006
THE 07/28/2006	CAT, 07/29/2006	SOMEHOW, 07/30/2006	CLAWED 07/31/2006
ITS 08/01/2006	WAY 08/02/2006	PAST 08/03/2006	THE 08/04/2006
CONFINES 08/05/2006	OF 08/06/2006	IDOLATRY? 08/07/2006	IT 08/08/2006
FREED 08/09/2006	LEGIONS 08/10/2006	PONDERING 08/11/2006	TEEMING 08/12/2006
MASSES. 08/13/2006	DEVOTED 08/14/2006	BOVINE 08/15/2006	DANCERS 08/16/2006
MILKED 08/17/2006	CAVERNOUS 08/18/2006	THEATRES, 08/19/2006	HOPING 08/20/2006
FOR 08/21/2006	RENOWN, 08/22/2006	DESPITE 08/23/2006	LIMITLESS 08/24/2006
ENTHUSIASM 08/25/2006	IN 08/26/2006	SIDEWALK 08/27/2006	STARS. 08/28/2006
SMILES 08/29/2006	FROWNED. 08/30/2006	DISGUISED 08/31/2006	DIPLOMATS 09/01/2006
DESTINED 09/02/2006	TO 09/03/2006	DISCOVER 09/04/2006	WOMBLIKE 09/05/2006
WONDERS 09/06/2006	WANDERING 09/07/2006	AIMLESSLY 09/08/2006	NEAR 09/09/2006
TENDER 09/10/2006	SURPRISES. 09/11/2006	THIEVES 09/12/2006	CAST 09/13/2006
ANGRY 09/14/2006	GLARES 09/15/2006	AT 09/16/2006	DETECTIVES, 09/17/2006
WHOSE 09/18/2006	HEADLIGHTS 09/19/2006	ILLUMINATED 09/20/2006	THEIR 09/21/2006
NEFARIOUS 09/22/2006	INTENTIONS. 09/23/2006	CLARITY 09/24/2006	ELUDED 09/25/2006
THE 09/26/2006	STARSTRUCK 09/27/2006	CAT 09/28/2006	WHOSE 09/29/2006
LIVES 09/30/2006	WERE 10/01/2006	RAPIDLY 10/02/2006	DWINDLING 10/03/2006
INTO 10/04/2006	SPIRITUAL 10/05/2006	INSIGNIFICANCE. 10/06/2006	BLOSSOMS 10/07/2006
REACHED 10/08/2006	THEIR 10/09/2006	ZENITH, 10/10/2006	FRAGRANTLY 10/11/2006
FEEDING 10/12/2006	HUNGRY 10/13/2006	MINDS 10/14/2006	ACHING 10/15/2006
TO 10/16/2006	FLOOD 10/17/2006	THE 10/18/2006	WILY 10/19/2006
MANIACS 10/20/2006	HIDDEN 10/21/2006	BENEATH 10/22/2006	MUSICAL 10/23/2006
FACADES. 10/24/2006	DIETIES, 10/25/2006	DISENCHANTED 10/26/2006	BUT 10/27/2006
SECRETLY 10/28/2006	OBSESSING 10/29/2006	OVER 10/30/2006	ALLEGATIONS 10/31/2006
OF 11/01/2006	MORTALITY, 11/02/2006	FLAUNTED 11/03/2006	THEIR 11/04/2006
PHILISTINE 11/05/2006	PALACES, 11/06/2006	PUTTING 11/07/2006	FORLORN 11/08/2006
FELINES 11/09/2006	IN 11/10/2006	GILDED 11/11/2006	CHARIOTS. 11/12/2006
A 11/13/2006	FRENCH 11/14/2006	MISSIONARY 11/15/2006	CHANTED 11/16/2006
HUBRIS, 11/17/2006	DAUNTED 11/18/2006	BY 11/19/2006	ABSURD 11/20/2006
AMERICAN 11/21/2006	TOURISTS 11/22/2006	WHOSE 11/23/2006	CHARISMATIC 11/24/2006
ACCENTS 11/25/2006	REVEALED 11/26/2006	WARRING 11/27/2006	EGOS. 11/28/2006
FROM 11/29/2006	INSIDE, 11/30/2006	ONE 12/01/2006	PATHETIC 12/02/2006
ATTEMPT 12/03/2006	TOWARD 12/04/2006	TAWDRY 12/05/2006	MUSINGS 12/06/2006
RESULTED 12/07/2006	IN 12/08/2006	TIRED 12/09/2006	APATHY. 12/10/2006
FINALLY, 12/11/2006	SENSING 12/12/2006	IMMINENT 12/13/2006	TERMINATION, 12/14/2006
THE 12/15/2006	CAT 12/16/2006	AWOKE 12/17/2006	AND 12/18/2006
SIGHED, 12/19/2006	REALIZING 12/20/2006	THAT 12/21/2006	EVERYTHING 12/22/2006
WAS 12/23/2006	ONLY 12/24/2006	A 12/25/2006	DREAM, 12/26/2006
DICTATED 12/27/2006	COLLECTIVELY 12/28/2006	BY 12/29/2006	INSANE 12/30/2006
DOGS. 12/31/2006