Stanzas for Iris Lezak

Influenced by his studies under John Cage at the New School, Jackson Mac Low approached writing Stanzas for Iris Lezak through a predetermined system of rules and methods. Over the course of six months in 1960, he composed an epic cycle of “parasemantic” poetry through the application of these methods to a variety of source materials, including Wittgenstein, Zen Buddhism and Psychoanalysis, and The National Enquirer.

The resulting text displays connections to Dadaist collaged writings and William Burroughs’ disjointed narratives, but stands out with its musical repetitions and arrangements, acquiring the feel of a sustained linguistic performance by Jackson MacLow.