Echolalic Expression

[krisi]

Preface: In her book, House Rules, where one of the main characters has an autism spectrum disorder, Jodi Picoult describes echolalia as "when he cannot find the words for how he feels, he borrows someone else's." This has often been a way that I have attempted to express myself with varying degrees of success. The following poem was constructed from lyrics in Taylor Swift's "Speak Now" album. If you want to critique it, go ahead. I won't be changing any of the lines (because they're not my words), but if you feel it would flow better with a different order, or if something seems out of place, please let me know. Also, if anyone is familiar with the album and thinks another line would fit in somewhere, let me know. Side note: I've changed one line from the original text "you are" to "I am". Finally, if you have have your own echolalic expression, feel free to share it, I'd love to read it

There’s so many things that I wish you knew,
so many walls up, I can’t break through.
You and I walk a fragile line.
Wasn’t it easier in our firefly catching days?
we were the kings and the queens;
all the kingdom lights shined just for me and you.
I wish I’d never grown up,
It’s getting dark and it’s all too quiet and I can’t trust anything now.
Come on, come on, don’t leave me like this
I can’t go back, I’m haunted
something’s gone terribly wrong.
You told me you loved me, so why did you go away?
Can’t breathe whenever you’re gone.
Walk away from everything we have,
but I still mean everything I said to you.
I never planned on you changing your mind.
Do you still feel like you know what you’re doing?
All that I know is I don’t know;
something keeps me holding on to nothing.
I just want to feel okay again.
I’m standing alone in a crowded room,
never imagined we’d end like this.
Your guard is up, and I know why, because
all I am is mean, and a liar, and pathetic, and alone in life and mean.
But this is me swallowing my pride standing in front of you saying I’m sorry

 

[IContainMultitudes]

That's pretty good. I'm not familiar with any of these song lyrics, but it seems like you put them together in an interesting way.

Other poets have constructed poems from pre-existing text in similar ways. There's a poem by Terrence Hayes called "The Blue Bowie" that's constructed from David Bowie lyrics in a somewhat similiar way.

 

[Sean2222]

Preface: In her book, House Rules, where one of the main characters has an autism spectrum disorder, Jodi Picoult describes echolalia as "when he cannot find the words for how he feels, he borrows someone else's." This has often been a way that I have attempted to express myself with varying degrees of success. The following poem was constructed from lyrics in Taylor Swift's "Speak Now" album. If you want to critique it, go ahead. I won't be changing any of the lines (because they're not my words), but if you feel it would flow better with a different order, or if something seems out of place, please let me know. Also, if anyone is familiar with the album and thinks another line would fit in somewhere, let me know. Side note: I've changed one line from the original text "you are" to "I am". Finally, if you have have your own echolalic expression, feel free to share it, I'd love to read it

There’s so many things that I wish you knew,
so many walls up, I can’t break through.
You and I walk a fragile line.
Wasn’t it easier in our firefly catching days?
we were the kings and the queens;
all the kingdom lights shined just for me and you.
I wish I’d never grown up,
It’s getting dark and it’s all too quiet and I can’t trust anything now.
Come on, come on, don’t leave me like this
I can’t go back, I’m haunted
something’s gone terribly wrong.
You told me you loved me, so why did you go away?
Can’t breathe whenever you’re gone.
Walk away from everything we have,
but I still mean everything I said to you.
I never planned on you changing your mind.
Do you still feel like you know what you’re doing?
All that I know is I don’t know;
something keeps me holding on to nothing.
I just want to feel okay again.
I’m standing alone in a crowded room,
never imagined we’d end like this.
Your guard is up, and I know why, because
all I am is mean, and a liar, and pathetic, and alone in life and mean.
But this is me swallowing my pride standing in front of you saying I’m sorry

So I take it you enjoy reading/writing poetry Krisi. Do you also fancy writing other things as well? How often do you express yourself this way? I find it is very therapeutic and centers my thoughts and emotions a little better. Or can have an opposite effect as well :s

I've been writing poetry,spoken word,short stories, and some song lyrics forever. I write everyday in one form or the other. Hope you did/are doing well on your exams.
Btw I really enjoyed this. I wonder if you see it as much of an extension of yourself (and daydreams) as I do...

-sean-

 

[krisi]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, or were at least interested by it. I have indeed heard of this type of expression before, I just was unsure of what to call it. I'll have to check out the one with David Bowie lyrics.

I don't so much view things like this as an extension of myself, but rather something separate, but within. Something not me that bounces around my head and haunts me until I let it out. Only then can I stop perseverating on it. I express myself in whatever ways my ideas come to me, and in whatever ways I am able. Sometimes I get ideas for painting, but they never come out well. Drawing is much the same. I write occasional short stories and poems, but not with any sort of frequency. Mostly it comes from an extreme emotion--this one here was written during a time of intense anxiety and a sense of worthlessness.

 

[IContainMultitudes]

I'll have to check out the one with David Bowie lyrics.

The poem is called "The Blue Bowie" and it's in a collection of poetry called Wind in a Box.