Found poetry


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You can create found poetry from:

  • old letters and diaries
  • advertisements
  • news broadcasts and newspaper headlines
  • overheard conversations
  • recipes
  • error messages
  • old books, articles, or documents that are in the public domain
  • your own writing, old journal entries, letters, or notes
  • government reports, academic papers, or news articles
  • grocery and to-do lists

Sources for content:

  • newspapers and magazines
  • books
  • lyrics and poetry
  • online text
  • journalling and diaries
  • letters and envelopes
  • graffiti
  • posters
  • fragments of conversations, self or overheard
  • signs and walls
  • advertisements

Do:

  • Select fragments that interest you or catch your eye.

Notes:

  • Embrace imperfection and randomness, and keep an open mind.
  • Arrange the words or phrases alphabetically to create a unique and unexpected pattern.
  • Play with the order of the text, or with how it's arranged physically.
  • Group text snippets based on their length.
  • Organise words and other text based on specific themes/ideas.
  • Consider the layout of your poem, and use spacing, lines, and shapes to increase interest.
  • Maybe arrange your poems in a straight line, creating a seamless flow of words.
  • Arrange your pieces in the order you found them.


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