Noah exhibits two dogs, two cats and three guinea pigs on the streets
Some argue his altar-like menagerie is cruelty
but the guinea pigs sit so still and peacefully—are they real?!
Inspired by: Chloe Koo’s Hanbok, 2014, based on Korea’s traditional clothing. Hanbok is known for its simple lines accented by vibrant colors and patterns.
Symbol: #23 of 45
Poetic Form: The sijo, a three-line poem that is older than haiku. This traditional Korean form is wild! The first line introduces the situation, the second develops the theme or introduces a turn in argument, and the third line presents a twist and conclusion. Each line is somewhere between 14-16 syllables.
Process: The title of symbol #23, “Performance,” somehow combined in my head with the neighborhood surrounding Parsons, and I was reminded of one of the wackiest street performances I’ve seen in the area—an animal handler who makes his animals pose together while he reads Bible verses. A keyword search turned up a couple articles on him, and my poem recaps one of these articles in three lines.