"Art is the creative expression of the human spirit, and it cannot- it must not, for the sake of the human community- be limited to those few who achieve critical acclaim or financial reward." -Pat Schneider
I know in the past and just recently, birds have been the subject of many of our pieces. A little bird told me this might be a good time for something light and free range. Our schedules are hectic, our brains on overload, some days running around like chickens with our heads cut off.
Peruse this list of bird idioms and find one that sings to you. You can create any kind of writing the idiom inspires--a cock and bull story, a poem about a time you were as happy as a lark, a personal essay about a time you chickened out.
You can carefully plan your writing out, or just pick an idiom and wing it. Or, spread your wings and write anything you want about birds. What better inspiration at a time when flying away seems so appealing?
I can't wait to see how everyone spreads her wings!
I started with Barbara Hamby's poem "Thinking of Galileo," and proceeded to the song "Galileo" by the Indigo Girls, then added in some words from Amy Grant's "Galileo." I made a list of words from all these texts and then let it sit. The opening line came upon me after a couple of days. This is completely mixed, and I only vaguely know what comes from where.
I also read up on Galileo: such a fascinating individual. I find science entering my life in mysterious ways, and this is one of the ways.
For my response to Prompt #41, Side by Side, I found my inspiration for this found poem in one of my favorite Imagine Dragons tunes "Yesterday" and a title-less poem--technically a quote--by Rupi Kaur from "the sun and her flowers."
Here's to change--
the year is done.
Here is the month I decided to shed everything not deeply committed to my dreams--
all these years I've been searching for who I'm supposed to be.
I fold the good days up and place them in my back pocket for safekeeping--
No tomorrow without a yesterday.
The day I refused to be a victim to the self-pity--
it's a crooked old tradition.
Goodbye to yesterday--
draw the match, cremate the unnecessary.
I've been the truth; I've been the lie--
I unscrewed all the mirrors from their walls, no longer needed to see myself to feel seen.
Here's to my future--
here I go, stronger and wiser into the new.
Oh, I'm a hopeless crash collision--
I spread the past three hundred sixty-five days before me on the living room carpet.
I'm my own volition--
I pour myself a glass of warm water to cleanse myself.
I wrung self-doubt by its neck--
You can reach for the moon.
I danced so hard my heart learned to float above water again--
It's a super busy time, so I decided to go with the easiest thing I know -- the Found Poem.
This time I'm hearkening back to various times I've done poetry studies with students and inspired them to make a connection between the poem and a song. And it didn't have to be a song -- it could be a story or a book or music video or even a painting or photograph. What I had them do with it varied, but it usually involved a presentation so that everyone could see the connections made.
The an example I would use the Yeats poem "Song of Wandering Aengus" and connect it to Sting's "Fields of Gold." I would make connections between the romantic tone, the longing feeling, the natural setting, and the color gold. I've never made a found poem from it, but I may do that for myself and post it on my blog. I will be finding something totally new for the TB prompt.
Your Challenge
You can start anywhere you'd like, but most likely a poem will work best, then connect some other text to it. Create a single found poem using words and phrases from each. How you do this is totally up to you. These texts might be similar themes and motifs, or opposites. Wide open! If you'd rather use something like a painting, video, or photograph, then you'd need to write descriptions. This is why it may be easier to use text. During this stressful time, be easy on yourself!
If you can provide links to any poems or lyrics we might not know, that would be great. If you get super inspired and want to use more than two texts...go for it! And give it a cool title, please.
Strangely, I wrote all those warm-up statements and used none of them. Instead, I came up with this; a mumbled mess of all the ideas I came up with but couldn't make something happen with. Looks like I made something happen, just not sure what it is!
Leap of Faith
My mom always said I was at my best with too much on my plate
I never get bored or full, because no matter how much I do there's more
sometimes the self-induced pressure can yield superb performance
I always seem to make it happen, I never say no to a challenge
sometimes I even surprise myself
and I never learn, and I always say yes
and sometimes I just want to kick myself
There will always be another opportunity
but you can never get time back,
and so sometimes enough is enough
On my long drives for work, I always dream
but I never seem to see those dreams to fruition
sometimes I dream of chasing my dreams
my husband always tells me to make it happen
he never puts me down or shuts me up
sometimes he reminds me how powerful I am
and I'll always remember to never give up
and sometimes fight like hell not to
There will always be tomorrow
and I will never let anything get in the way
Sometimes, somehow, we or I?
just need to take a leap of faith.
