The following is a “found poem” by George Paris, local poet, who was inspired to rearrange and re-imagine some words he found in our current issue of seveneightfive. George Paris has a book signing event for his new book of poems, “A Distant Home,” this Saturday from 3-5 at the Blackbird Cafe and Bistro in Fleming Place, 10th and Gage, Topeka. Stop by and show your support of the lit scene in Topeka, and tell him if you’ve ever been inspired by an issue of seveneightfive, too.

Without further ado, here is George’s poem. Do you know which page of the June-July 2010 issue this is re-imagined from?

The Battle of the Bands

At first glance,

a steamroller,

simply driven,

but with zero discipline,

comes down Main

Street. Like bail jumpers

the drivers are making

the most of their

neo circus, rolling

down the avenue

like a sixteen penny nail

escaping from a

revolver. Before

there is another day

gone, this tragedy of

romance, is building

its empire, but with

only a grain of honor.

A jangalang battle is

forming on the horizon.

Stand by for radio silence!