Captive

¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
a captive ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦
drawn ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ composition
by ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ wandering ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ troubled ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ sinking lines,
the ¦¦¦¦¦¦ bowing ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ of my will. . . .
I have ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ listened to ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦
words ¦¦¦ the ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ muse,
and plotted ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ my life,
¦¦¦ avoiding ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ compassion . . . ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦

¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦


(Blackout of Dolphin by Robert Lowell)
Copyright © | Year Posted 2026

Poem

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Etgen-Baker Avatar
August 27, 2026 at 1:44 PM
impressive blackout poem
Smith  Avatar
August 24, 2026 at 6:49 PM
This is a beautifully executed blackout poem. The visual spacing of the redactions creates a stark sense of isolation that perfectly matches the theme of being "a captive" to the muse. The surviving phrases—especially "troubled," "sinking lines," and "the bowing of my will"—brilliantly capture the consuming struggle and surrender inherent in the creative process. A truly striking and emotive composition!
Achara Avatar
August 24, 2026 at 8:18 PM
Thank you. Blackout poetry is fun.
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