James V. Odett (1902-1963) lived his whole life in Winnipeg, Manitoba as an antiques dealer. His shop, Odett's Antiques, ran from 1923 at 1163 Portage Avenue until Mr. Odett became ill in the summer of 1962. Mr. Odett left behind a surprising amount of 'artwork' (poems, stories, drawings, paintings, even songs), which he stuffed into the walls of his house. It is only recently that we have discovered this (after some much needed renovations). The Council for Dissemination and Misappropriation (a group originally started my James himself, under the name The Misuse Society) here presents some of the materials uncovered. Mr. Odett often claimed that people from the future would steal his 'art', and that he often went into the future to take it back. The songwriter Butter Vaughn Kingson bases a lot of his music on the writings and 'artwork' of Mr. Odett.
Thu
Feb
19
Keys click like crickets
(bash those filthy things!)
Lead-lidded lights shimmer as squids through some bizarre ocean.
(These people pose as algal agents, brushed through tentacles and treating the carpet as something to creep on!)
The computer spills its salt water, washing and watching.
Computer: Do you eat?
Me: Not usually.
Computer: How ‘bout a treat?
Me: Tomfoolery.
[Enter adder, fresh from someone’s asshole]
Adder: Pardon me,
O gardened three,
One must move both carefully
And quietly,
Now try with me
You sly (come hither!) slitherine.
Keys tick like trinkets
(And garbage fills the sink)
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