Found Poems
Found poems are--by definition--discovered in a nonpoetic context, such as a news story or advertisement. Found poems remind us that everyday language often contains what can be considered poetry[1]v in its presentation of an idea and its use of words.
Here is an example of a "found" poem by a modern master of the genre, John Giorno.
An unemployed
machinist
An unemployed machinist
who travelled
here
who travelled here
from Georgia
from Georgia 10 days ago
10 days ago
and could not find
a job
and could not find a job
walked
into a police station
walking into a police station
yesterday and said
yesterday
and said:
"I'm tired
of being scared
I'm tired of being scared."
Here’s your assignment:
Tonight, scour for “found poems” and bring in at least three you can share with the class. Here are some places you can look:
•sports pages
•headlines of news storis
•banner ads on web sites
•advertisements on billboards
•signs in the street
•want ads in the newspaper or on Craigslist
•magazines
Two of the poems should be unaltered; one may be changed by repeating lines or altering words. Type up the poem and cite its source on the page.
Have some fun!