AN EXPERIMENT in found poetry
Although we are technically ‘off’ from Writing Inside during the summer months, we have managed to go in an average of twice/month to keep the flow going among our writing sisters. Last time we decided to try something new. Instead of my compiling the weekly Found Poem, I brought copies of all the read-back lines from the July 7 circle; and we spent about 20 minutes each writing our own version of a poem from the same lines. Some of us elected not to use all the available lines. The general rules we followed were:
1 – the original ORDER of words had to remain the same; although words could be dropped, none could be added.
2 – the same verb needed to be used but could be changed to another tense if needed
3 – after hearing all the versions, we agreed that a good rule to add would be to change pronouns when it would make more sense
The following Found Poems from the same list of read-back lines were given me to scribe after that session; and I share them here.
RETURN TO LIGHT
Before song, before war
unspoken words haunt my dreams,
the birth of a thought
becoming complete.
The light in my eyes is dim;
a rhythm, the unknown, settles in
just below my chest.
My soul can never be broken.
My voice is lost,
always locked up;
dark has complete control,
my words turned to demons.
The light is trying to get me back,
D’Annu, mother of all.
Will I ever feel whole again,
come home?
The fire in my soul burns wildly
gifting us with light and protection,
cradling life –
the heart of a woman, the soul of a soldier.
- SB
I FEEL LIKE MY VOICE IS LOST
I have so many words that are left unspoken.
I have lost my mind, but not my motivation.
The thoughts of the unknown settle in.
I wait for it all to go away.
The dark has complete control over my inside,
while the light is trying to get me back.
I feel like my heart is always locked up,
and all my words turn to demons.
I try to stay strong.
I have the heart of a woman, and the soul of a soldier.
So many unspoken words will haunt my dreams.
When will I become complete?
The light in my eyes is dim,
the fire in my soul is hot, heavy and burning wildly.
I will never let my soul be broken.
I know I have done my best.
I will become complete, a flower of speech
that can come home cradling life with my hands open.
- JH
Heart of a woman, soul of a soldier
the fire in my soul is hot, heavy and burning wildly.
Lost my mind but not my motivation
my soul can never be broken.
Unspoken words haunt my dreams,
heart always locked up;
dark has complete control over her inside.
The light is trying to get her back
before smog, before war –
to come home, becoming complete,
a rhythm, cold sweat.
A scar rests just below my chest
waiting for it all to go away.
I did my best.
- NL
I did my best waiting for it all to go away.
The unknown settles in, becoming complete,
the birth of a thought full of unspoken.
If the words remain, will I ever feel whole again?
All my words turn to demons, words unspoken,
one man on fire. My voice is lost, the light in my eyes
is dim, the fire in my soul is hot, heavy and burning
wildly. My choice is lost, my brother’s voice faint
beneath my screams, unspoken words haunting my dreams,
my urge for revenge, heart always locked up. Dark
has complete control over her inside, cradling life with her hands
before smog, before war. Heart of a woman, soul of a solder,
my soul can never be broken. D’Annu mother of all seems to be
a naked pregnant woman; light is trying to get her back, gifting us
with light and protection, to come home — a rhythm, a cold sweat,
stalk where beliefs grow flower of speech, inquisitive stare.
A scar rests just below my chest, lost — my mind but not my motivation.
- TD
The fire in my soul is hot, heavy and burning,
my voice is lost, all my words turn to demons,
unspoken words haunting my dreams. The unknown
settles in, a rhythm, a cold sweat. The light
in my eyes is dim, words unspoken. My soul can never be
broken – heart of a woman, soul of a soldier. Heart
always locked up lost my mind, but not my motivation.
If the words remain, will I ever feel whole again?
My urge for revenge, inquisitive stare, waiting
for it all to go away. Dark has complete control
over her inside, stalk where beliefs grow. The light
is trying to get her back before smog, before war.
Becoming complete, flower of speech, gifting us
with light and protection. My choice is lost
to come home. I did my best.
- TB
