Antibooks and Antipoetry

Antibooks and Antipoetry:

My friend Sharon sent me a link to pictures of Francisca Prieto’s The Antibook, described as a “non-conventional book of Nicanor Parra’s ‘AntiPoems’. It is a visual expression of his ‘Anti’ idea–opposing conventions. The essence of the book was analysed and its components abstracted in order to re-define the conventional form of a typical book.”

This kept me busy for an hour, looking up “antipoetry” (defined by Wikipedia “as an art movement that attempts to break away from the normal conventions of poetry… and sought to reject the belief that verse holds any mystical power. The poems have been described as prose-like, irreverent, and illuminating the problems of human existence.”)

The movement was founded by Chiliean poet Nicanor Parra. To get an idea of his poetry, here is one from his book Antipoems: How to Look Better & Feel Great

Stop Racking your brains

nobody reads poetry nowadays

it doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad.

See more poems and other writing here.