the rose vine – “The Color of Water”

“The Color of Water”

I coast through bands of muddy water,

a reddish swarm 

                        animalcula

                                                exploding

the instant motion ceased,

                                                            crossing both ends 

                                         of matter

movement isolated

in a drop of water,

                                                            animals naked

covering a space

                                                                        infinite

water stained red

                                    but

                                                ocean abounded

                                                with living

                        and

from the land

                                                narrow lines of water

            a bright red colour

feed

            on              the discoloration

                                                                        of water spawn;

                                                the dark

and sinuous

                                    colour of being

a colour

the putrefying carcase

                                    floating

            no great distance

This is a found poem from Darwin’s The Voyage of The Beagle, which I don’t necessarily recommend reading, but if you want to you can here. That’s why color has a “u” in it. Also, if you want to try erasure poetry this is the site this poem originated from.