Poetry in Motion is a playful ball machine sculpture with an animal-theme that is inspired by a series of seven poems. Poets include Matsuo Basho and Ogden Nash. The ball machine serves to bring these poet's work to life. 

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The machine includes whimsical devices such as an orange hammer bell, yellow pin board, red loop-the-loop, and swirling helices. It also has three randomizing pendulums with painted images of a fish, turtles, and a bright red cardinal. Balls hop down a series of green wood block frogs, slink through a snake kinky tube, and are grabbed by the mouth of a nodding dragon and dropped onto a track below. The colorful animals pop against the white track and blue background.

 

This ball machine was designed by George Rhoads in collaboration with Rock Stream Studios.

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Date:

2004

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Location:

Comer's Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL

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Dimensions:

7' x 2' x 7'

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Artist:

George Rhoads