Found Poem
Speak
Introduction
One of the ways to understand the tone or mood of a piece of literature is to use words from the literature to create an original poem. To create a Found Poem, select and combine memorable words and phrases from Speak to "find" a poem. The poem should be four stanzas with four lines in each stanza. Your goal should be to develop one stanza for each of the four "marking periods" in Speak.
Procedure
To create a Found Poem:
*Look at the sample of a Found Poem for Chapter 4 of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (at the bottom of this page).
See also the sample I have written for you based on the short story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker.
*Look through Speak and decide on a theme for your poem.
*Select words and phrases that relate to your focus; write them on a piece of paper.
*Combine the words and phrases you have written into poetic form (lines and stanzas).
*Reduce these lines, if necessary, to create a more concise and focused poem.
*You cannot add words to your poem that are not in the original book, but you may remove words and change the original context of the words to create your poem.
*You may repeat key words and phrases for emphasis.
*List page numbers (of the words you use to create the poem) at the bottom.
*Follow the format; your poem begins with a question (in bold)
*You may add illustrations to your poem.
*Include (on a separate sheet of paper) a one-paragraph justification of your poem's content and format. Why did you choose what you chose and write what you wrote?
Frankenstein Chapter 4
Whence did the principle of life proceed?
Alone
In on pursuit –
The pursuit of knowledge
I found continual food for discovery and wonder,
Alone
Labor and fatigue
My soul occupation
The energy of my purpose alone sustained me.
When did the principle of life proceed?
Lifeless matter
Profane fingers, food for the worms, corruption of the body
From the midst of darkness, a sudden light broke in upon me.
Secret knowledge is the summit of my desires
Alone
A slow fever . . .nervous . . . shunned . . . guilty
I AM NOT
A MADMAN
Found Poem
"Everyday Use"
How so the difference between sisters?
Maggie Smiled
Everything delighted her
Dee has a temper
Dee looked at me with hatred
A smiling man tells me what a fine girl I have
Maggie will stand hopelessly in corners
Eyes on ground. Feet in shuffle.
Dee, The child who has "made it,"
Held life always in the palm of one hand
A smiling man tells me what a girl I have
Maggie stood there with her scarred hands hidden
In the yard that Maggie and I made so clean
Dee will want to tear it down
Dee would always look anyone in the eye
A smiling man tells me what a fine girl I have
Maggie knows how to quilt
Dee wants nice things
I am the way my daughter would want me to be
Did Dee ever have any friends?
What a fine girl I have