exercise 2 from "Writing For Your Life" by Deena Metzger

The Journal Transforms Itself into Poem, Story or Drama

Select one or a few of the images or phrases from your journal and make a poem of it:

• gnawing paralytic pain.
• a choked disused well filled with saltwater.
• a single-malt on the rocks.

alone in thoughts
aplenty; yet ceasing
as if unspeakable.
my mind a choked well

disused, covered -
never to be drawn from
as if dead, but alive.
my mind a choked well

barren of water,
flooded with salt
undrinkable,
my mind a choked well

filled with dread and
a gnawing paralytic pain
yet inexpressible
my mind a choked well

instead, my carcass
reacts summarily
in physical discomfort -

and pain -
served on the rocks,

as if I should enjoy it
like it was a single-malt
to be cherished

enjoy life
and all that is with it
even the saltwater -
undrinkable -
keeps us afloat.