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Barry Duncan writes palindromes. Constantly redefining what can be accomplished in two directions, he has provided texts for collaborations with the composer Oliver Caplan and the dance company Monkeyhouse, and he has had a gallery show at ArtHelix in Brooklyn. Ever since he was profiled by Gregory Kornbluh in the magazine The Believer, Barry has been in demand (well, sort of) as a speaker and an authority on all things reversible. He is the subject of Michael Rossi’s upcoming documentary film The Master Palindromist (www.masterpalindromist.com) and the author of the (as yet unpublished) book I Am The One Making Reversible Art. Barry lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, is always accepting commissions, and can be reached at palindromist@hotmail.com.

AND THE PALINDROME GOES TO…

THE BIG SHORT Par:  CDO.  Nod.  Crap.

BRIDGE OF SPIES Name?  No one blinks.  A Mark R?  A mask.  Nil.  Be no one, man.

BROOKLYN A sum:  Irish, sir.  I’m USA.

CAROL Sexes, eh?  Cate, Mara met.  Aches.  Exes.

CREED He’s sad, a bore, ham.  A name, no?  Wash-up.  Uh, saw one man.  Am a hero.  Badass, eh?

THE DANISH GIRL A miss (E.R.)?  Danish’s in a dress.  I’m a…

JOY Mo’ moperatic it are.  Po’ mom!

MAD MAX:  FURY ROAD Warn:  “Mad Max” am damn raw.

THE MARTIAN Has RAM?  No, Matt am on Mars.  Ah. Mr., a final?  Pine?  Drag?  A lost sol?  A garden:  I plan, I farm. Rebut doom’s mood:  tuber. Sob?  Oh?  Potato.  Phobos.

THE REVENANT Damn ursine, men, is run mad. Revenge by me?  New.  On, Hugh G!  Uh, now, enemy.  Beg?  Never!

ROOM A me.  Ma.

SPOTLIGHT Ah, so gasp, repel.  A male perp’s a – gosh! – a… He rep a parish, sir.  A paper, eh?

— Copyright (c) 2016 by Barry Duncan