Here's how it works:
1. Choose a text: You can use anything from a newspaper article to a novel to a song lyric.
2. Highlight or circle: Mark the words you want to keep. This can be based on themes, sounds, or simply your intuition.
3. Erase the rest: Physically or digitally remove the unwanted words.
4. Rearrange: You can keep the words in their original order or rearrange them to create a new structure and meaning.
Key features of an erasure poem:
* Found poetry: It's a form of found poetry because it uses existing text as its source material.
* Subtractive: The poem is created by subtracting words, not adding them.
* Reinterpretation: Erasure poems often reveal hidden meanings or create new interpretations of the original text.
* Emphasis: The chosen words become more prominent and meaningful by being isolated.
* Experimental: There are no set rules, making it a great way to experiment with language and form.
Examples of erasure poems:
* "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe: An erasure poem can be made from Poe's original poem, focusing on specific themes like death, sorrow, or the raven itself.
* Newspapers: Erasure poems often use newspaper articles to create poignant reflections on current events.
Benefits of writing erasure poems:
* Encourages close reading: You need to analyze the original text to make choices about what to erase.
* Develops creativity: The act of choosing and rearranging words forces you to think creatively.
* Challenges your perspective: Erasure poems can make you see the original text in a new light.
Erasure poetry is a fascinating way to engage with existing text, explore language, and create unique works of art.