Found Poetry and Parallel Poetry

Found Poems Found poems are poems composed from words and phrases found in another text. You can create these found poems from nearly anything if you can be creative and inspired.

Found Poems Using the handout, review the different found poems that were created using the same text. Notice the different feelings that emerge between the different found poems. Do they evoke an emotion or tone? What is the tone? What literary devices do the individual poets use?

Parallel Poems Parallel poems are original poems that use the same line structures as another poem, but focus on a completely different topic. Some words from the original poem are retained, but some words are replaced with new words.

Parallel Poem From Page 127 of Holes by Louis Sachar Passage from Novel: There was a change in the weather. For the worse. The air became unbearably humid. Stanley was drenched in sweat. Beads of moisture ran down the handle of his shovel. It was almost as if the temperature had gotten so hot that the air itself was sweating. A loud book of thunder echoed across the empty lake. A storm was way off to the west, beyond the mountains. Stanley could count more than thirty seconds between the flash of lightning and the clap of thunder. That was how far away the storm was. Sound travels a great distance across a barren wasteland. Found Poem: There was a change For the worse. The air became humid Beads of moisture ran down The handle of his shovel It was almost as if The air itself was sweating Thunder echoed across the empty lake A storm beyond the mountains. Thirty seconds between the flash And the thunder Sound travels a great distance Across a barren wasteland

Found and Parallel Found Poem: There was a change For the worse. The air became humid Beads of moisture ran down The handle of his shovel It was almost as if The air itself was sweating Thunder echoed across the empty lake A storm beyond the mountains. Thirty seconds between the flash And the thunder Sound travels a great distance Across a barren wasteland Parallel Poem: There was a change For the team The crowd grew restless Beads of moisture pooled In the corners of his eyes It was almost the same As the time he blew the touchdown Thunder grew in the crowded stands Anger building on the sidelines Thirty seconds on the game clock And he kicked Sound exploded as the ball flew Across the end zone And through the uprights

Activity - 1 Now it is your turn to create a found poem and a parallel poem. Use the text provided to create a found poem with whatever tone you like. Choose at least 25 to 50 words to create this found poem. Use a highlighter or colored pencil to indicate the words that you are using for your poem. Be creative and don’t forget to title that original poem!

Activity 1 Continued Take the words that you’ve highlighted and write them out in your notebooks to finalize the poem, remember that the way you place the words on a page will determine the flow of the poem and could alter it’s meaning.

The Forgotten House Fisherman No Longer The house felt gutted and hidden at this moment The land, dry of seeds and leaves Dust everywhere The house was no taller than the rest Cheap Paint peeling Dry weedy yards Hazy Only visible after the darkened earth Dove toward the twilight Pretender Fools Memory Dreams Alone The fish was gutted and drying at the moment The sea, empty of cod and capelin Empty nets everywhere The boat was smaller than the rest Wooden Paint peeling Barely floating Foggy Only visible after the sun Rises toward the zenith of the sky Useless Yearning Memory Alone

Activity - 2 Now that you’ve created a found poem your task is to create a parallel poem using your poem from the last activity. Be prepared to share both poems so take a moment to read both over so you don’t stumble over the words or phrasing.

Activity 3 Now that you’ve created a Found Poem and a Parallel Poem it is time to see if you can find a poem that has to do with a topic…let’s say…love. Use the right-hand side of the handout that you were given to create a found poem about love. What criteria should we use to assess your effort and learning/understanding ? Let’s decide on how we should be graded…

Eng 5th Period Excellent Appropriate Below Expectations Effort/Thought Layout and poem appears to be well thought out and thoughts are complete Fluency/Logical sequence The poem is presented/written is a logical sequence with 1-2 items out of place On Topic Most of the poem is about the topic of love. The poem may wander but has a general focus on love. Word Choice/Lyrical The poem uses words that creates an image in the readers mind and flows relatively well.

Exceeding Appropriate Below Expectations Effort/Thoughtful Words/phrases show a great deal of thought, the layout/structure shows effort Focus on Love Most of the poem relates to the topic of love Logical Poem makes sense and shows a logical sequence Creativity and Details The poet uses the available text in a unique and create way to create a poem

Secretly Known Love Feeling like a dream She remembered, dizziness without end A couple that was obviously free Lucky Floating with each excited wave The way their eyes glowed As they whispered “How are you?” She thought In some city, an elevator, The roof of an apartment building, Into the hallway. She had always secretly known She wanted time that stood out clearly Against the white

Activity 4 Take all three poems (Found, Parallel, Found Love) and create a visual for each. Use the tone and words in your poems to inspire your creativity.