Edison’s Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze
In 1894
Fred Orr
sneezed
a sudden
violent
spasmodic
audible
expiration
of breath
and using
a sheet of
cellulose
acetate,
cellulose
nitrate
coated with
light-sensitive
emulsion
Edison
made a
film
of Fred.
Ah
Choo!
Creative Restraints, Subsequent Conflicts
There was much progress in the 1800’s.
Joseph Francis patented the life car,
a covered boat that could hold up to
four people. Three minutes of air.
Made of corrugated sheet- iron.
Ehrich Weiss aka Harry Houdini
offered a reward to anyone
who could successfully
restrain him.
Martha Coston discovered the idea of
signal flares from her husband’s notes.
She combined his idea with fireworks
making bright flares in green, red & white.
Joseph Francis’ covered boat
led the way to life boats.
Ehrich Weiss was never restrained
dying from blows to his abdomen & peritonitis.
Martha Coston sold her husband’s invention to
the Navy – first used in the Civil War.
There was much progress in the 1800’s.
Between the ruined speeches,
the delicate laughs, all the dead seeds
grew silent under gleaming hands.
________________________________________________________________
L.B. Sedlacek’s poetry has appeared in publications such as Third Wednesday, Mastodon Dentist, Main Street Rag, Tertulia Magazine, Ginosko, Manorborn, Assisi Journal, Niederngasse, Fickle Muses, Sea Stories, and others. L.B.’s latest chapbook is Twisting.
