Found Poems

What is it? A Found Poem is a poem that is created by using an existing literary work and creating a new poem from it. While the words used in the poem are not your own, the combination that you, the poet, uses to express your vision is original.

Why? Provides another viewpoint of a primary text. Allows deeper thought and analysis Used by accomplished poets such as: Ezra Pound T.S. Eliot William Carlos Williams Charles Olson Louis Zukofsky

How do I do this? Option #1 Take a direct excerpt from the text and use it as a basis for the poem. This excerpt comes from Holes by Louis Sachar. “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.” Use lines from the excerpt to create a new view or a found poem. There was a change For the worse. The air became humid Beads of moisture ran down The air itself, sweating Thunder echoed across the lake. A storm beyond the mountains. Thirty seconds And the thunder Sound travels a great distance Across a barren wasteland

How do I do this? Option #2 Gather lines and excerpts from throughout the novel to create a poem. The following example illustrates a specific character from The Book Thief, Rosa Humbermann. A small wardrobe with a coat “What are you assholes looking at?!” In the beginning The profanity made an impact. “Saumensch, du dreckiges?” “Saumensch, call me mama.” Her cardboard face loomed closer she leaked a little “I’m sorry Liesel.” The Stranger, Max. A worried expression scribbled onto Mama “What the hell did you do to my hairbrush?!” Rosa pulled Liesel close for a moment “He woke up!” She held the girl from behind Sand a son “Thanks mama.” She embraced her Loved her. “What is it Sauemensch?” “Papa’s coming home!” They embraced Saukerl. Saumensch. She called everyone that Especially the ones she loved No doubt about it. The woman had a heart. She loved Liesel “You were so beautiful Mama.”

Your Found Poem Choose an important theme, symbol, scene, or character from Dostoevsky’s, Crime and Punishment, and create a found poem. Whatever direction you choose to go, choose passages, quotes, and words from Dostoevsky’s novel and arrange them in a way that is poetic and original. Your poem should have at least 20 lines, and no line should be more than eight words long. Feel free to repeat a line or two if you think it will add to your poem. Your poem need not rhyme. Just be original! Include a title and one picture to go along with your poem.