The search for the is ultimately a search for the origins of the 20th century’s violent creativity. Marinetti was a controversial figure (his later embrace of Fascism tarnishes his legacy, a fact any serious analysis must confront). However, Zang Tumb Tumb , written before WWI, is pure aesthetic anarchy.

shards of words floating like confetti in the air

Now that you know where to find a legitimate, high-quality facsimile, your task is simple. Download the PDF. Turn off the lights, or turn on a single spotlight. Open to a random page. And start chanting: Zang-tumb-tumb-zang-zang-túmbb-túmb...

Here’s a social media post idea for (the Futurist sound poem by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti), offering a PDF version:

(1912) during the First Balkan War. Marinetti witnessed the siege as a war correspondent for the French newspaper L'Intransigeant