Idiom Concrete Poetry

Continuing my concrete poetry work with idioms. Exploring how I can visually interpret the idioms while also pushing their meanings. I wanted to incorporate ways other people have used these idioms, so I started to work with poetry and common sayings.

I’ve been thinking about using these explorations as assets in a poster or infographic systems. I will also add them to my running concrete poetry booklet.

Found uses of the Idioms:

Hit the Books
The origin of the phrase is unknown, but it may be related to the early idiom "hit the trail", which cowboys used when starting a journey. It's likely that the phrase became popular in the mid-20th century. 

Melting Pot
"This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie.

"...The melting pot of America that promises a land without woes but alas, there is only hysteria for those that refuse the status quo…"

The Melting Pot by Joylanda Jamison

Out to Lunch
"The Captain is Out to Lunch and the Sailors Have Taken Over the Ship” Charles Bukowski

“ No grand schemes shall I devise, No other plans shall I complete, For I have gone out to lunch.” - Christopher Tye

Silver Tongue
I am a silver-tongued devil, they say,
Where my words, like coins, often stray.
To hearts of gold, my falsehoods go,
A weaver of tales, a story of old,
A player of words, a devil in guise,
A sheep among wolves, a cunning devise. - Asmondues

Skin of My Teeth
"My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I escaped with the skin of my teeth".
Job 19:20

The skin of your teeth,
Is the strongest tie to life.
Yes, we can hardly breathe,
But we cannot really die.

Lev Brekhman