Andra Buschmann

Found Poem

from The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton

My masterpiece turned out 
To be a scarred-up eternity 
Of alarm.  The ultimate disappointment,
the flashy,dazed, unrequited, screaming
Miracle shimmying along
Corrected my accuracy with hoarse yelps.
“Misspelled” loomed alive and burning
Like a spastic squirrel with
Permanent elimination dangling—laughing—
On red flaming lips.  Shoelace cords
Went down and shriveled my championship
Dead like flies.  Surprise!  Jesus
Whispers devout fire—I scramble,
Stall, strangled— 

“Sandwich.” 

[silence] 

Destined to be a winner.  Violently
Delicious celebrity—astonish the breathless
Congregation.  The President pronounced
Purple gems to the exemplary contestant. 

[silence] 

“S-A-N-D-W-I-T-C-H” 

Immediately punished.  Tears streaming
Around a lost lucky brooch-petal heriloom,
Frantically wailed at a Stillwater Competition.
Use it in a sentence, please.

(photo by Rebecca Fulmer)