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Writer's pictureErin James

Collaborative 'Found' Poem: "STRESS X2"

Found poem: Found poems take existing texts and refashion them, reorder them, and present them as poems. The literary equivalent of a collage, found poetry is often made from newspaper articles, street signs, graffiti, speeches, letters, or even other poems.*1


This found poem was the result of a poetry workshop I hosted independently during my research fellowship, with Fabrica and Fresh Perspectives. I invited the 12 participants of the workshop to give me one word to describe their day. I also contributed my own word, BUZZING, to start things off and encourage the group. The words that were collected were written down, and I then wrote a poem around these words that I shared with the group after the workshop.


Listen to the poem here:


See the poem here:



Read the poem here:


I've been

BUZZING, bouncing, pouncing on

opportunities

STRESS (X 2) creeps up on me, then

some more stress, x 2

this poem feels

CHAOTIC, this handwriting looks…exotic?

the pen strokes almost erotic

I'm FULL on chicken tandoori and way too

much coffee

INTENSELY GOOD coffee

The days left me somehow both

SPACED OUT and completely

wired, completely alive & unbelievably tired

this poem is

MISPLANNED but will

be admired, collective creation, a breath during

a BUSY day

a JOYFUL moment a pause in time

every second is

CHANGING the way with new possibilities to rhyme

sometimes creating is CHALLENGING

motivation is vanishing but the intention for

MOVEMENT is there and like TIDES i rise

& fall




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