Poem Phone
The Poem Phone is a Wonderfoon (Wondertool) variant, but specifically designed to disseminate spoken poetry.
- Operation: The user picks up the receiver and dials a number on the rotary dial. Each number is linked to a different poem that is read aloud (often by the poet themselves).
- Goal: It brings poetry to unexpected, everyday places (such as bookstores, bars, galleries, or quiet corners) in an accessible, nostalgic, and intimate way.
- Inspiration: The concept is inspired by the historical project ‘Dial-a-Poem’ by John Giorno from 1968, where people could call a telephone number to hear a poem. The Poem Phone brings this idea back in the physical, tactile form of the rotary telephone.
In short, the Poem Phone is the cultural variant of the Wonderfoon, with a focus on spoken word and art instead of musical memories.
The concept for the Poem Phone was developed in Australia by The Salons, for Poetry Sydney’s Vessels of Love 2024: love in transmission.