From Prose to Poetry:

Found Poems

Vocabulary

Free Verse

Condensed language

Tone

Vocabulary

Free Verse- poetry with no specific rules or set structure

Condensed language

Tone

VocabularyFree Verse- poetry with no specific rules or set structure

Condensed language- powerful language w/o filler words

Tone - author’s attitude or feeling toward the subject

Found Poems: Example• There was a change in the weather for the

worse. The air became unbearably humid and Stanley was drenched in sweat. Beads of moisture ran down the handle of his shovel. It was almost as is it was so hot that the air itself was sweating. A loud boom of thunder echoed across the empty lake and he could tell there was a storm way off to the west, beyond the mountains. Stanley could count more than 30 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.

THINGS TO COME:

• A change

• for the worse.

• air became humid

• beads of moisture run down

• the shovel,

• the air was sweating.

• thunder echoed

• across the empty lake…

Step 1: Select Text

Pick prose with descriptive language

Dialogue

1-2 paragraphs

Step 1: Select Text• There was a change in the weather for the

worse. The air became unbearably humid and Stanley was drenched in sweat. Beads of moisture ran down the handle of his shovel. It was almost as is it was so hot that the air itself was sweating. A loud boom of thunder echoed across the empty lake and he could tell there was a storm way off to the west, beyond the mountains. Stanley could count more than 30 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.

Step 2: Choose WordsRead the text and look for 50-100 words that stand out

Details

powerful or interesting words

Words that convey the tone of the text

Avoid articles or “filler language”

Step 2: Choose Words• There was a change in the weather for the

worse. The air became unbearably humid and Stanley was drenched in sweat. Beads of moisture ran down the handle of his shovel. It was almost as is it was so hot that the air itself was sweating. A loud boom of thunder echoed across the empty lake and he could tell there was a storm way off to the west, beyond the mountains. Stanley could count more than 30 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.

Step 2: Choose Words• There was a change in the weather for the

worse. The air became unbearably humid and Stanley was drenched in sweat. Beads of moisture ran down the handle of his shovel. It was almost as is it was so hot that the air itself was sweating. A loud boom of thunder echoed across the empty lake and he could tell there was a storm way off to the west, beyond the mountains. Stanley could count more than 30 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.

Step 3: Arrange List

Make a list of the words you found

keep in order

Double Space

Step 3: Arrange List• change in the weather for the worse

• air became unbearably humid

• drenched in sweat

• Beads moisture ran down handle shovel

• air itself was sweating

• loud boom of thunder echoed across empty lake

• storm off to west

• beyond the mountains

• count more than 30 seconds between flash of lightning clap of thunder

• Sound travels great distance across barren wasteland.

Step 4: Eliminate

Dull, Unnecessary words

Cut out at least 1/4 of the words

make sure everything remaining matches the subject/tone

Step 4: Eliminate• change in the weather for the worse

• air became unbearably humid

• drenched in sweat

• Beads moisture ran down handle shovel

• air itself was sweating

• loud boom of thunder echoed across empty lake

• storm off to west

• beyond the mountains

• count more than 30 seconds between flash of lightning clap of thunder

• Sound travels great distance across barren wasteland.

Step 5: Adjust Words

Rearrange if necessary

Change tenses, possessives, plurals

Can add 3-4 words

Step 5: Adjust Words• change for the worse

• air became humid

• Beads moisture ran down shovel

• air was sweating

• thunder echoed across empty lake

• beyond the mountains

• 30 seconds between flash clap

• Sound travels great distance across barren wasteland.

Step 5: Adjust Words• A change for the worse

• air became humid

• Beads OF moisture RUN down the shovel

• THE air was sweating

• thunder echoed across the empty lake

• beyond the mountains

• THIRTY seconds between flash clap

• Sound travels great distance across barren wasteland.

Step 6: Adjust StructureLine Breaks?

Punctuation?

Rhythm?

Key Words?

Bold or Italics?

Step 7: Title

a word or phrase

Conveys tone

Subject

Review:1. Select text

2. Choose Words

3. Arrange List

4. Eliminate Words

5. Adjust Words

6. Adjust Structure

7. Title