Found Poem
Instructions
- Find your source material. Your source material, in the case of a found poem, is any text not intentionally poetic. For this poem, choose any one chapter from our class novel. Any words or phrases from the chapter can be used and dissected to create the building blocks of your found poem.
- Extract phrases and sentences you like or that speak to you from your source material, and compile the text on a blank notebook page or in a new word processing document (if a computer is available). You can attribute each quotation if you wish, but it's not necessary for a found poem.
- Arrange the phrases and sentences you like by theme or common characteristic. Some of the phrases may mention color, some sentences might deal with physical sensations; group them according to common traits you identify, and copy and paste your found items accordingly.
- Write your poem. Take a group of found phrases and sentences that you particularly like. Use them to construct a narrative or poetic compilation. Don't worry about making the narrative poetic at first; just get your thoughts onto paper, and edit to make it more poetic later. Include your own words and phrases where you need to link separate ideas or images.