Found Poetry Instructions
1. Find a piece of writing. It could be anything; a page from an old book, an article from a newspaper or magazine, some junk mail, the back of a cereal box. Anything that you can draw on.
2. With a pencil in your hand scan the writing. Don’t think too much, just let the words come to you. Whatever you are drawn to follow that. It could be the sound of the word, it could be the shape of the letters, it could be your favourite word or a certain feeling, anything goes. Circle the words you find. These words will form your poem. The poem may be just one word, it may be nonsensical or you might find some hidden beauty. Just play!
3. Once you have selected your words, choose your materials. Start to cover the page, leaving only your poem visible. Fill the space however you feel. You may make a drawing or painting or collage that relates to the words or be as abstract as you like. Enjoy the process of covering up the other words of the page. Obscuring most of the text to reveal your poem.
4. Repeat. The more of these poems you make the more you start to see, the freer and more fun they get. Play. Explore. Enjoy
by Vivianne Vaux