Look Through the Text You Have Been Assigned

Find a poem

One of the ways to understand the tone and mood of a piece of literature is to use words from the text to create an original poem. To develop a “found poem,” select and combine memorable words and phrases to write or “find” a poem. Consider the diction in creating the mood and tone of your assigned topic. For this poem you will be assigned a chunk of text.

Procedure

Look through the text you have been assigned

Determine the themes, idea, or message you would like to focus on

Select words and phrases that relate to your focus and write them down.

Combine the words and phrases you have written into poetic form

Reduce the lines to be concise and sharpenimagery

You cannot add words to your poem that are not from the text-but you may remove words

You may repeat key words and phrases

Your chunk of text is______”Ambush”______

Pre-writing/Brainstorming (counted as a PREP grade)

Summarize your chunk of text. What key points, images, or observations have O’Brien shared with readers?

O’Brien recalls the night he was on ambush and killed a young man. Looking back, he realizes that his decision to kill was instinctual and to this day he wonders if the man would have just continued on walking without incident.

What major idea or image do you want to focus on? The paralysis of fear and regret

On the back, write down every word or phrase from your assigned text that relates to the idea you wrote for #2.

Once you finished writing down words and phrases on the back, create a TYPED poem using your selected words and phrases in any order you choose to create a lasting image. Remember to (1) Make a clear point (2) Treat the subject matter thoughtfully (3) Include strong imagery and purposeful diction (4) Use at least two poetic devices (5) Include punctuation and imagery-remember the two poems I showed you in class-they are also online.

Words and Phrases for question #3

Slender young man fruitysourterrifiedevaporate

Explodedgrenadepoppingsoftdustsmoke

Denserubber eye a star shaped holelive or die

Darkno real perilstaring reversedgape

bodynewspaperFoggy hotdwell

cockedsecretGropingtrail bends midnight final watch Slivers repellent listening

slightly stoopedweaponGray ammunition beltreality

pulledcrouchedImaginationcamera clicked

duckingStomachAutomaticHate

PonderMorality politicsDuty

Your TYPED FINISHED POEM will be collected and counted as a quiz.

Below are the FCAs (You may want to use your poem’s theme as the title)

At least 30 lines long5

Utilizestwo different poetic devices20

Utilizes punctuation in a purposeful way10

Thoughtful imagery and diction20

Builds on a lasting image, motif, or theme OR 40

focuses on a development of a character

using characterization

Spelling and Format5

I was a slender young man

Grenade in hand,

Sour stomach groping for reality.

Midnight’s dense fruity fog

Pulled me into final watch.

In my imagination,

the trail reversed its path,

Cocked and slightly stooped,

another slender young man,

secret in his terrified duty,

pondered politics and morality.

He evaporated in my eye.

But then,

As a camera clicks,

I see slivers of him.

Hi eye popping as they met mine.