MLK's words, our found poems
In recognition of this year's Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the poet-athletes at PS 249 in Brooklyn engaged in an MLK focused academic session with the aim of learning more about his words and creating 'found poems'.
They listened to portions of his “I Have a Dream” speech, had a discussion on the language used and the impact it had, then got into groups to pick out sections they really enjoyed to create poetry.
Found poems take existing texts and refashion them, reorder them, and present them as poems. The literary equivalent of a collage, found poetry is often made from newspaper articles, street signs, graffiti, speeches, letters, or even other poems. Here are a couple:
Rachel/McKenzie –
“My four little children will one day live in a nation, where they will not be judged by the color of their skin. This is our hope, we allow freedom to ring from every state and every city. And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.”
Manuel/Zoe/Jovanny -
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of it’s creed for truths to be self evident. We have a dream that little black boys and black girls will be able To join hands with little white boys and white girls. We want freedom, justice, and a nation that will make all men equal, Black or white. I have a dream that my four children will live in a great world.
They listened to portions of his “I Have a Dream” speech, had a discussion on the language used and the impact it had, then got into groups to pick out sections they really enjoyed to create poetry.
Found poems take existing texts and refashion them, reorder them, and present them as poems. The literary equivalent of a collage, found poetry is often made from newspaper articles, street signs, graffiti, speeches, letters, or even other poems. Here are a couple:
Rachel/McKenzie –
“My four little children will one day live in a nation, where they will not be judged by the color of their skin. This is our hope, we allow freedom to ring from every state and every city. And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.”
Manuel/Zoe/Jovanny -
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of it’s creed for truths to be self evident. We have a dream that little black boys and black girls will be able To join hands with little white boys and white girls. We want freedom, justice, and a nation that will make all men equal, Black or white. I have a dream that my four children will live in a great world.”
