If you want more blackout poetry, I’d start with newspaper blackout. I use it with my students during our poetry unit.
If you want some great creative inspiration, I’d read Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work, and Keep Going. They are short reads with a ton of great content.
So much value in this post Adrian. Thank you! There’s a lot of resources here (many of which I’ll try using with my students). I, too, love “Digging.” It’s such a beautiful, vivid poem. As I’ve mentioned to you in another comment, I like starting my poetry unit with “Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins because my college students have been trained to analyze everything to pieces—which is great, in some cases—but that poem helps remind them they can actually, ya know, just enjoy the poems and sit with them without racing to a thesis statement about their meaning. Lately, I’ve been teaching Ross Gay (my current favorite poet and essay writer). Finally, because my students are older, I like teaching parts of Ben Lerner’s The Hatred of Poetry, which helps us talk about why so many folks (myself included for much of my life) have an aversion to poetry. In fact, when I tell most people what I do for a living, they often tell me how much they hate: 1) grammar; 2) writing; and 3) poetry. Your post is a wonderful example of how we can change this narrative early by teaching poetry and creativity with so much passion and skill. Bravo!
I never share poetry in my class, something I’ll have to change this year! I love the idea of pairing poetry with music ❤️
What kind of music do your students like to listen to? I can definitely help you pick out some poems that complement. Let me know!
I’m hoping for some Taylor Swift inspiration when her new album comes out next week ❤️
Love these! Thank you! I think you might like this post. https://pocketfulofprose.substack.com/p/the-transformative-power-of-blackout?r=qqbxq
I love blackout poetry! Have you read any of Austin Kleon’s work?
https://austinkleon.com/category/newspaper-blackout-poems/
I haven’t - I subscribe to his Substack- which book would you recommend starting with?
If you want more blackout poetry, I’d start with newspaper blackout. I use it with my students during our poetry unit.
If you want some great creative inspiration, I’d read Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work, and Keep Going. They are short reads with a ton of great content.
https://austinkleon.com/books/
Thank you! 🌻
Our class Spotify list is everything from Reggaton to Drake to K-pop to Ukrainian music, lol.
So much value in this post Adrian. Thank you! There’s a lot of resources here (many of which I’ll try using with my students). I, too, love “Digging.” It’s such a beautiful, vivid poem. As I’ve mentioned to you in another comment, I like starting my poetry unit with “Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins because my college students have been trained to analyze everything to pieces—which is great, in some cases—but that poem helps remind them they can actually, ya know, just enjoy the poems and sit with them without racing to a thesis statement about their meaning. Lately, I’ve been teaching Ross Gay (my current favorite poet and essay writer). Finally, because my students are older, I like teaching parts of Ben Lerner’s The Hatred of Poetry, which helps us talk about why so many folks (myself included for much of my life) have an aversion to poetry. In fact, when I tell most people what I do for a living, they often tell me how much they hate: 1) grammar; 2) writing; and 3) poetry. Your post is a wonderful example of how we can change this narrative early by teaching poetry and creativity with so much passion and skill. Bravo!