I decided to try something different this month in honor of the new moon and this time between eclipses. I like the idea of found poetry: taking random words or phrases from various sources (newspapers, magazines, advertisements, signs, books) and reassembling them to see if something meaningful emerges. A collage of words. Similar to the magnetic poetry craze years ago, except word choices are wider because they can come from anywhere.

And it feels especially appropriate right now to break things up and put them back together in new ways. Astrologers have been saying that we are in a period where what is not working in our lives and in our society can more easily be seen, inviting us to clear out the deadwood. Because life is making us aware of them, we can more easily heal old wounds, rewrite old stories about who we are, and toss old habits and relationships that no longer serve us. Definitely uncomfortable in the short run, but ultimately life-affirming.

(A lot of this has been happening in my life recently, and certainly rotting, useless systems have been exposed over the past year on the national and international scene; let’s hope as individuals, and as a society and world community we can clear the toxins and support life in earnest.)

So I went to my stack of magazines, cut out words and phrases that jumped out at me, and had great fun playing around with various combinations. In fact, like creating six word memoirs (my blog post on this) it was hard to stop.

You can make the poems as elaborate and arty as you want, too, adding doodles or paint or other collage elements. I kept mine very rough; I like the way they look a bit like ransom notes.

The first one I came up with reflects this clearing-out-the-old-to-bring-in-the-new theme, though I wasn’t consciously trying to do that.

THE HEART’S A LOUD VOICE

Two-headed  journeys that blur

The wind takes me

riding between the worlds

Personal tornado

Whirl wobble

Moon spinner

Story unraveling

Mock mistakes

gathered throughout the year,

Unspoiled lumps of life

Listen: unlocking Deep Song

At the frontiers

Here’s one more.  I see that these reveal my thoughts and desires, whether I am conscious of them or not.

BOLD MOVES
 

Sneak away

more than three times per week.

Cuddle up

in a secret corner.

Stay awhile.

Try a little tenderness!

Make room:

Imagination

Dreaming

Dare to doodle.

Music comes in colors.

Hope lives in plain sight.

If you give it a try (I hope you will!), I’d love to hear about it.