Found Words

The instructions for writing today were to find a news article, grab a highlighter and circle/underline words.  Use those words to build a found-word poem.  No particular “topic.”

I started with looking at articles that I had recently saved.  I used three different articles, on a variety of topics, scribbling down words.  I was unable to string them together.  For whatever reason, I was wholly uninspired.  I put it away for awhile.

Me with my list of words from an article (and Libby)

This afternoon, I tried a new approach.  Rather than use an article, I used the lyrics from songs on the playlist that has been on repeat for the past few weeks.  I grabbed a single word from several different songs, the word that struck me the most, then filled in the rest with my own words.  I even challenged myself to use the words in the order in which I had written them down.  Below is my result; I don’t particularly like it.  But I worked through it.

Identity
I was restless this evening.
My thoughts were rigid, unbending.
Tea meant for comfort was bitter instead.
Sunken into a dark uncertainty, I
convinced myself that a light could shine.
I thought that I could steal
another chance.
Instead, with certainty receding
the shades were drawn.
Fear was winding and coiled around
my second chance.
Swallowing her into endless memory.
All of the strained, tortured planning
Now empty hallways…
Leaving my insides bent.