The librarian introduces blackout poetry, which involves taking words from text and rearranging them to form new poems. To create a blackout poem, one scans a page from a book for words and phrases to use, underlines selections, then uses markers to black out unwanted words, leaving only the words for the poem visible. Blackout poetry allows for reimagining text in creative new forms through selective revealing and concealing of words on the page.

1. LRMS Library
Ms. Trapani, Librarian

2. You are here today to create
Blackout Poetry.
Ever heard of it??

3. Let’s start with the basics.
What’s poetry?

5. Today, we will NOT be
composing our own poems.
Well, not exactly.

6. We will be
stealing other
author’s words…

7. ...but repurposing them.
Curious??

8. Here’s how…
1. Take a torn-out
page of an actual
book.

9. Next…
2. READ the page.
Scan for an “anchor” word
that jumps out at you and
then some related words.

10. Next…
3. THINK.

11. Next…
4. Underline a few words or
phrases or random letters
from anywhere on the page
you think you may want to
use in your poem.
Then go back and circle the
“definites.”
Use

12. Remember...
Your final poem will read from
left to right and top to bottom.

13. Finally...
5. Use marker(s) to black out words you
don’t need.
You are only limited by your imagination.
The possibilities are endless!!!

14. You can literally black
out EVERYTHING
else on the page.

19. Or, you can make cool designs or
shapes with the blacked-out space.

28. Not all blackout
poems are black.
Some incorporate
color.

39. Now it is time to elevate our
souls.
Create your
blackout poems.
Good luck.