Definition: Found Poem

A "Found Poem" is taking text from the novel on your theme and creating a poem from a dozen or so selected phrases or groups of words.


For instance, if you theme was Othering/Possession in "The Crucible", you'd chose several lines or phrases that described Possession by the Devil. Then placing these 12 or so lines in particular order to create a "Found" or borrowed poem.


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“The devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone, and I must tell you that I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of hell upon her."

"How can it be the devil? Why would he choose my house to strike? We have all manner of licentious people in the village.

What victory would the devil have to win a soul already bad? It is the best the devil wants, and who is better than the minister?"

"I don't want kill that man.' but he say, 'you work for me, Tituba, and I make you free! I give you pretty dress to wear, and put you way up in the air, and you gone fly back to Barbados!' and I say, 'You lie devil, you lie!' And then he come one stormy night to me, and he say, 'Look! I have white people belong to me.' and I look- and there was Goody Goode.”

“There are wheels within wheels in this village, and fires within fires!"

“I want to open myself! . . . I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw him, I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Goode with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!”

“I’ll plead no more! I see now your spirit twists around the single error of my life, and I will never tear it free!”

“The Devil is alive in Salem.”

“A man may think God sleeps, but God sees everything, I know it now.”

“A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! And it is my face, and yours, Danforth!”

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From all these, one might create:
                                    The Boot of Lucifer


A man may think God sleeps,
I want to open myself,
but, it is the best the devil 
Wants.


I want to open myself,
I danced for the Devil,
The marks of his presence are precise,
as definite as 
Stone.


I want to open myself,
"You work for me,
and I make you free!
I give you pretty dress to wear,
and put you up in the air!"

I want to open myself,

I wrote in his book

A fire is burning,

he choose my house to 

Strike.

"I shall not proceed 

unless

you are prepared to plead!"

I want to open myself,
I kiss his hand
I twist around the single error of
my life 
There are wheels within wheels 
and fires within fires!




                                        Lanier Carson
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And, viola, a found poem




Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.
Confucius