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Political poetry

 Subject

Subject Source: Sackner Database

Found in 154 Collections and/or Records:

The Bill of Rights: The Fifth Amendment, 2000

 Item — Box 165: [Barcode: 31858072458197]
Identifier: CC-34474-36171
Scope and Contents Richard Minsky created the bookbinding and box for the poetic text written by Mitch Cullin entitled "Branches." The book was published by The Permanent Press. The illustrations were done by Ryuzo Kikushima. The front cover is punctured with five bullet holes. The cover consists of a sheriff's badge pinned to a shirt pocket and a name badge with the word "Branches." The box is affixed with a black gun leather holster on which the fifth amendment of the constitution is printed in gold, lowercase, italic text. The title of the book refers to the protagonist in the autobiographical poem, I.A.C. Branches, a bigoted Texas Sheriff, who uses his authority and gun without remorse to rape, torture gays, and shoot Mexican border intruders. The fifth amendment states that no person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual...
Dates: 2000

The Cement Fuck, 1966

 Item — Box 543: [Barcode: 31858072461068]
Identifier: CC-07335-7479
Scope and Contents

The abstract expressionist cover was painted by maRa. A handwritten poem by levy appears on the back cover. This book contains all the stanzas of Chalchihuitlicue; the booklet of the same title (held by the Sackner Archive) only contains the first stanza. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Dates: 1966

The Dawn of the Age of Leisure, 1975

 Item — Folder 38: [Barcode: 31858072459989]
Identifier: CC-54727-990161
Scope and Contents

The completed text reads, "Wych Countree has the Elm Disease?" The outlines of world-wide countries are flying around a sky with a setting sun as if they were leaves. Four human figures are drawn encased in grids. The Archive has three other unsigned copies of this print. This print is depicted in Furnival's "Lost For Words" (2011) page 61. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Dates: 1975

The First Battle of Little Sparta, February 4, 1983 (Flute, Begin with Me), 1984

 Item — Box 147: [Barcode: 31858072458007]
Identifier: CC-12418-12645
Scope and Contents

The medal depicts an automatic machine gun as a metaphor for a flute; commemorates first episode of an assult by the Strathclyde Region tax collectors on Finlay's home. The leaflet accompanyimg this medal commemorating the incident is a visual pun on Virgil's flute, with the vents in the barrel-sleeve as the finger-stops. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Dates: 1984

The JAMES R LOWELL DEFENSE FUND (1), 1967

 Item — Box 618: [Barcode: 31858072461035]
Identifier: CC-60433-10003365
Scope and Contents

This work lists books seized by Cleveland police from Asphodel Book shop. almost all the books and several of the magazines are held by the Sackner Archive. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.


The James R. Lowell Defense Fund would include levy as well, which some refer to as the Lowell-levy (or levy-Lowell) Defense Fund. These funds aided Lowell and levy in their respective court battles.

Dates: 1967

The JAMES R LOWELL DEFENSE FUND (2), 1967

 Item — Box 618: [Barcode: 31858072461035]
Identifier: CC-60434-10003366
Scope and Contents

The recto of this work sets forth the context of the trial and the verso reproduces a poem by Joe Brainard relating to peace and tranquility. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Dates: 1967

The Marble Arrow, 1984

 Item — Box 640: [Barcode: 31858072491461]
Identifier: CC-12567-12799
Scope and Contents

The card is shaped like an arrow and has been made from marbled paper, a pun on the poem printed along an inside fold, "The Marble Arrow Always Hits Its Mark!" -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Dates: 1984

The Moralist, 2002

 Item — Box 84: [Barcode: 31858072538238]
Identifier: CC-39074-41012
Scope and Contents

This work features ambiguities related to censorship. The label of two cigarette packs, "Lucky Strike" is cancelled to leave only "Lust." The cancelling device is a large block of wood with black paint at its tip that serves as phallic symbol. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Dates: 2002

The Nuclear Fan, 1984

 Item — Box 610: [Barcode: 31858072460862]
Identifier: CC-44062-46178
Scope and Contents

Each leaf of the fan depicts the same atomic explosion and a single word caption. The words form the following sentence, "This is only a test." -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Dates: 1984

Thermidor, 1994

 Item — Box 147: [Barcode: 31858072458007]
Identifier: CC-12767-13032
Scope and Contents

Stephan Bann provides an explanation of the poem in the accompanying leaflet as follows. Thermidor was the month in the French Revolutionary calendar when the summer heat was its most intense, and the grain at its ripest. It was also the month, in 1794, when Robespierre and his followers met their deaths at the guillotine. In the image of this poem, the abrupt cleavage of the word, THER MIDOR, and of the figured sheaf of flowers, suggest the termination of the revolution in its Jacobian sense. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Dates: 1994

Thornier, 1997

 Item — Folder 35: [Barcode: 31858072459948]
Identifier: CC-34974-36691
Scope and Contents

The print depicts a thorn with barbs. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Dates: 1997

Through a Dark Wood/Midway, 1976

 Item — Box 190: [Barcode: 31858072459609]
Identifier: CC-11914-12136
Scope and Contents

Relates to the World War II battle of Midway. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Dates: 1976

Through a Dark Wood/Midway, 1975

 Item — Box 147: [Barcode: 31858072458007]
Identifier: CC-11915-12138
Scope and Contents

A folded sheet onto which is printed a critical text by Stephen Bann accompanies this medallion. The image is a metaphor for the World War II battle of Midway in the South Pacific which was fought with airpower rather that ship to ship sightings. The text accompanying this work is stored in a box of Finlay booklets. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Dates: 1975

Thunderbolt Steers All, 1975

 Item — Box 147: [Barcode: 31858072458007]
Identifier: CC-12423-12650