Looking for a Sign? Inspiration from Florida's State Park System

Have you been looking for a sign? I found a couple you might be able to use in your writing. 

This post is part of an effort I've been making an effort in 2016 to notice things I normally gloss over. Throughout the summer, I'll be writing posts to share my findings with you. (You can find my writing prompt using the scientific names of moths & butterflies here.) For all my nerdiness, signage usually falls under that umbrella of "things I should pay attention to but just don't". I was hiking on  Amelia Island in March (more on that trip here, if you're intrigued) and I noticed these lovely little signs explaining the flora and fauna along the trail. I made myself stop to read them all, and somewhere along the way started collecting them to share with you. 

I'll share my favorites below for you to read. At the end, I'll whip up a little writing prompt to help you put all this inspiration to good use. Ready? Let's take a walk in the woods and beaches of Florida. 

This one is a little tough to read, so I've typed it up for you:

"LIFE FROM THE DEAD
Even after death, trees abound with other forms of life. Bacteria are decomposing the plant tissues. Termites, wood boring beetles and carpenter ants are feeding within. These are eaten by woodpeckers, lizards, toads and shrews. The web of life will, in time, reduce this tree to a rich brown area of humus on the forest floor waiting to be used by other living things. "

The Writing Prompt 

I've got two ideas for you.

1. Have you ever heard of Found Poetry? We have a handy post on it here. I think these signs are prime content for a found poem. Try your hand at writing one based on them.

2. Pull a few (5-10) words or phrases from these signs and write them in your notebook. Try to write a poem using all (or at least the majority) of the words that you've chosen. My recommendation is to free write and get a sense for how you want to use them and try to fit them in a poem/image from there.

Happy writing, Floodmarkers! More inspiration to come from my efforts to be more observant.

Read more work by Alexandria on Floodmark.