Find Poetry in Unexpected Places

As an occasional dabbler in poetry, I like writing exercise that give you a good kick to get going. Nothing is better for this than writing Found Poetry, where you look around at already existing word groupings, and pull or break them apart in new and interesting ways. Can you make a poem off a box of cereal? Yes! How about from an instruction manual? Totally! What about an issue of the New York Times? Certainly...plus, you can be featured on their website, if you enter their Second Annual Found Poem Challenge! Be sure to check out the website for all the rules and examples of last year's winners. Over 200 people entered last year. If I was between 13 and 25, I would totally do it, but alas, I'm old. ;)

In the meanwhile, if you think this sounds fun, but need a little boost to get going, or prefer writing with a group, come to the Mountlake Terrace Library this Wednesday at 4pm where we will have a free creative writing class focused on this topic: Recycled Words - Found Poetry.

Hope to see you there!

Dawn