Today, Kim wrote about the “Found Poetry” she discovered in the signs and words she found on her walk today. What a great idea — except it was dark when I began to think about writing today’s poem. However…
One of the things I do is take a lot of pictures. I upload them into Google Photos as well as save them on my iPhone and computer. But in Google Photos, I can search for particular things, like signs.
Wherever Scott and I travel, we stop and enjoy the place where we are– a walk in a small town, a stop at the historical marker, a pause at a local store or cafe, or a walk in a museum, park, or exhibit. I take pictures of all kinds of interesting signs: in parks, on storefronts, along the road, at historical sites, on bulletin boards, on the street.
With all those signs in Google Photos, I searched for “signs” today to “find” my own poem on a walk through my photos.
The Times broken, one way
We shall overcome:
Stay Home
Prevail on Earth
Trust Communities
Imagine Above and Beyond!
That was quite fun, so for today’s NaPoWriMo / NPM20, try this prompt:
Prompt: Be sure take lots of photos of all kinds of interesting things. Search what you’ve got and find your own poem; it’s called “Found Poetry [National Writing Project].”
HOW TO:
I opened all the pictures of signs, and began to arrange them, according to the words that captured a thought I could use in a poem. I cropped those words and placed them together in a slide [I used Keynote today, but powerpoint or Google Slides work just as well– or print out your pictures and cut them out].
I also created an image of the photos I used, so others — like you!– could choose and arrange your own “found poetry” from these images of places I’ve been, local and far away.
Let’s see what you “find!”
About this post:
Be safe out there. April is time for NaPoWriMo — National Poetry Writing Month, try a bit of poetry and art to encourage others to be safe with each other. Something short. Something inclusive. Something of spring and hope. #NaPoWriMo/#GloPoWriMo
The Academy of Poets encourages us to write #shelterinpoems. Get some ideas there and share your own.
Tons of information can be found at Poets.org: National Poetry Month and here: Virtual Programs.
National Council of Teachers of English also offers suggestions here.
I forgot you can search for keywords in Google Photos (which are assigned by algorithm, right? which makes the results … interesting at times). Neat. It’s so cool when one of us launches ideas for another … glad to follow you here from Kim …
Kevin
Yes. Google Photos is my first place to search for images, my own. It’s actually quite good at finding what I need. It is cool that we find and spin and remix from our friends and colleagues. I’ve always loved Kim’s reflections on her work. ~ Sheri