Introduction

Blackout Poetry is a form of “found poetry” where you select words that catch your interest from a newspaper, book, or other printed text – along with a few additional words to make it flow. Then you “redact” all the words you don’t want. This is often (but not always) done with a black marker, hence the name “blackout poetry”. Your chosen words will form a new message, giving the text a whole new meaning. 

Procedure

Watch the videos and study the examples.

You will be using the words of Frederick Douglass to create your own Blackout Poetry and you might have an idea of the direction you’d like to go with your poem, but with such a limited choice of words, it helps to be open-minded about the outcome! You can start by circling words you like in pencil or by placing a piece of paper next your excerpt and write down the words you want.  

Take your Blackout Poetry a step further by adding patterns, designs, or a drawing to the areas you’re “redacting”. For example, instead of just filling in around your chosen words with solid black, you could create a drawing or design that relates to your poem. Just as with any illustration, your art should support the remaining text and add to its meaning.

And while you’re at it, be sure to check out the New York Times digital blackout poetry maker, where you can make your own Blackout Poem and then see the poems that others have made from the exact same text. It’s fun to see how different they all turn out, even when starting with an identical piece of writing! 

Materials

• Excerpts 

• Pencil

• Watercolors

• Sharpies

• Oil Pastels

• Creativity

• Focus

• Joy

Video: 

Examples