This One's For the Kid in the Back Row

[thegaslights]

I glanced through the other critiques and your reply, but only briefly. I know of found poetry, but have never written any (or had any instruction in the form beyond google). Apologies if I overstep! 

I like the content of this poem and overall it works well. The content in the first half is somewhat light/safe for my taste but the imagery in the second half is more thought provoking and the ending is arresting. I think it could use more bed-of-nails-style imagery throughout, either with additional quotes or spreading out the ones you do have. 

Ask me anything. strong first line, particularly with the tie-back in the last stanza
We need to talk about it. steals the thunder of the first line, for me. I get stuck on "if they haven't asked yet, how does she know they need to talk about it?" I would take out this line. 

You don't have to phrase it in any particular way,
or worry about saying something non-PC.
Let's be real and talk about everything  three conversational, unsurprising lines
to do with the freak. somewhat surprising turn, here. 

We have a history of the ‘freak’, like, Maybe insert imagery (or unrelated freaky quote?) here or after next line to drive the point home

“you’re a freak, get away from me.” 

I've reclaimed the words – I am  I like the line break here and below with "I use it to feel". Gets me thinking of the multiple ways each can be interpreted, and acts as a way to drive home the strong personality on display
a natural born freak – not as an insult
but as identity and power. Maybe another line break after identity? TBH I'm unsure of this suggestion. 

Freak, to me, is rarity. I see line break here seems to only serve to make the next line shorter. Is somewhat distracting because I keep looking for the double meanings I found in the other line breaks, but I'm not finding it here. Maybe freak is rarity only she can see? Or only rare for her? Hm. When you read it aloud, would you take a breath here?
people describing themselves as freaks
because they want to seem
less human. I use it to feel love this line / stanza cliffhanger! 

more human. I love the bed of nails,
I like putting a nail up my nose,
that fine line between pleasure
and pain. I use my sense of touch,
I use my sense of hearing
to do aerials, hula hoops –
have you ever hooped? OK before I nitpick, I just want to say I love this whole stanza as is. That said, I think you can play with the line breaks for even more punch. Right now, the lines are all the same length which can be a good goal, but especially for a found poem, why constrain yourself? OK... forgive me, this is just for fun and not altogether thought through... 

more human. I love the bed of nails,
I like putting a nail up my nose, 
that fine line 
between pleasure and pain. 
I use my sense of touch, 
I use my sense 
of hearing to do aerials, hula hoops – 
have you ever hooped?

Certainly not convinced this is better - I see the fun in making a visual representation of the line between pleasure and pain, which this loses. Eh, just playing around! Favorite stanza regardless! 

Hold it behind your back with your hands tight,
turning little circles with your stomach.
Front, side, back, side; front, side, back, side.  not sure if this is your thing, and it usually isn't mine, but since the words in this line are so simple, and your role as a poet for found poetry is all in presentation, putting them in a circle on the page could dress it up a bit? Or even putting single words from this line between stanzas in italics or something. Wouldn't translate well to reading it aloud though. Just spitballing. 
Give it a bit of momentum;
you’ve got to fling it. this stanza is a fun diversion but I might be missing a metaphor here. 

Let’s talk about this idea

of what is beautiful, what is grotesque.

Beauty is absolute awareness of experience.
It's a dangerous idea. 

People don’t dare ask me about love nice tie back, brings up questions about the underlying meaning of the rest of the poem and adds mystery and depth to the narrator

and relationships, if I’m really honest. ah, was she not being honest before?

Nothing is more dangerous

than falling in love. great

This is a found poem from interviews with Sarah Houbolt, a professional acrobat, paraolympian in swimming, and self-described "natural born freak." She performs and tours all over the world. Here's an interview with her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VbPg2CPe-U

I think this is a great start. I like the idea of looking for more content, particularly freaky imagery, and hope you can find some. Ever think about trying to contact her with a few interview questions (haha is that cheating??) I want to know more about your narrator! A lot of my suggestions above are just me having fun, so please be sure to take what you like and completely ignore everything else. Hope you find something in there that is helpful! 

Best, Elise