As my ‘About the Author’ section states I am a big fan of Found Poetry, and it’s no lie. Just the other I found this great piece of found poetry that really spoke to me.
Some of you might be asking what makes this found poetry and not just graffiti? Well to a certain extent it’s both, it may not be either to you, we may not have matching definitions of found poetry, but before we fall down the rabbit hole of ‘what is art?’, let me tell you why this piece of poetry spoke to me.
I think this is a very timely piece of poetry, I would even go so far as to call it protest poetry. As of three days ago the UK economy has officially entered a recession, but for a long time the everyday person has already been suffering from overwork. Call it whatever you want ‘the daily grind’ or ‘hustle culture’, nearly everyone I know has two jobs, and still can’t afford to live. I don’t need to remind you what life is like here, but I think sometimes we need to be shaken from our fear. Job insecurity is a real fear for a lot of people, and I know many people give up their health and relationships, and wouldn’t dare pull a sickie for fear of losing their job.
This poem spoke to me and I think it would resonate with many people who are out there desperate and dreading returning to work day after day. Even those who love their jobs still deserve a day off, especially in the current work culture we are inhabiting today, working longer hours for less pay, and being expected to do than is expected of us.
The position of the piece, it is opposite a set of traffic lights, forces you to stop and consider the words as you wait for the lights to turn green. It allows you to ask the question, what if I did? What would happen if I just didn’t turn up to work tomorrow? Can I really do that? Would the world stop turning, if for one day, just one day, I took the day for myself?
This poem does not need to be any longer than it is, even the texture of the spray paint can be seen as it is darker in the word ‘Call’ than in the word ‘Sick’ the hurriedness of the decision to put out this call. It is saying making this impulse decision to call in sick tomorrow. Grip life with both hands, do not go gentle into that dark night. Take control of your own life don’t be a slave to the machine.