Collage of a Different Kind

I just want to touch on a new interest for me: black out poetry.

I've never liked poems for the sake of poetry.  I've definitely read some poems that I like, but unlike some, I am not in love with the genre.

However, these black out and cut out poems I keep seeing actually make me feel something every time.

They've been brought to my attention lately, mostly because I've got a good friend who has been dabbling with the form.

I think they may appeal to me as much as they do because they are their own form of collage.

And much like the way I approach making a collage, this type of poetry is self-revealing in that you look at a page of words and pick the ones that draw you in.

In light of this, I have made three recently that I'd like to share here.  

The first two showed themselves to me when I picked up a free copy of Erewhon by Samuel Butler.

I opened the book and pages 54 and 55 each showed me a poem right away.

While I think the fully blacked out page would have more effect, I currently only have the pages unfinished- the words carefully chosen with black marker.

They read as follows:

Page 54

"Upset"

I leaned over so far

the ground was too much for me

I had no more control

hurry and noise and upset

I found myself not more than fortunate

which was when I found a little less swag

outside

I had gained difficulties

for having done some good

which was insufficient from how useful I was

............................................................................................

Page 55

"Blasphemy"

loser to the Christian religion

embraced outwardly

stupid nature of the Trinity

original sin the grandson of nothing

father Church sufficiently qualified for the task

an eternity of torture

that he should hide a multitude of sins

irregularities and shortcomings

the remembrance unpleasant

............................................................................................

The last one is technically a cut out poem, but it is formed in the same way.  I took inspiration from this same friend to work it into one of my collages.

It reads:

we must see our feelings as they actually are,

not as we assume they are.

winds of Reality carry away negative feelings within yourself.

I find we must dare to ask

and the answer awakens the intuitive self

to see that there is no such thing as 

a single negativity in a man.

..........................................................................................................

And there ya have it.

I encourage you to play around with this art form.  I find what it reveals is oh-so-therapeutic. 

Until next time......