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We usually think of poetry as an act of addition—adding lines, metaphors, and meaning to a blank page.
Erasure (or blackout) poetry is the art of carving away words from an existing text to reveal (or create) a secret poem hidden within it. By silencing the majority of a page, we force the remaining words to speak a new, surprising truth.
It may sound a little strange to make a poem by chopping away at someone else's words—but when you try it, you'll surprise yourself with both the creativity and the impact of what you make.
Erasure is more than just an exercise; it's a high-level craft tool that gives you four major gifts:
Subverting the Unbearable: When you're faced with politicians or others saying things you passionately reject, erasure lets you speak back and undermine their objectionable stance—using their very own words!
Deepening Homage: On the other hand, by starting from a text you already love, you can pay sincere homage by finding a powerful poem inside it.
Sharpening Skills: Because you’re working from someone else’s words, erasure forces you to look at structure and images a little differently, teaching you lessons about imagery and concision that you can carry to the rest of your writing as well.
The Writer's Block Cure: It's a fantastic way to generate work when you feel uninspired. When you can't find your own words, you find them in the world around you.
Erasure looks easy, but it is surprisingly difficult to do well. Without a plan, it's common to end up with a mess, or to remain trapped by the original author's voice.
In this month's Spark, I will lead you through a clear, step-by-step process to treat a source text as a block of marble, carving out a poem that is entirely your own. You’ll get craft instead of mess, and freedom instead of limitation!
Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced poet looking for a fresh approach to language, this workshop will give you a new way to see the poem hiding in any piece of writing. I will provide a variety of source texts to work with, but you are also welcome to bring your own materials to personalize your project.
Included in this session:
A Showcase of Erasure Styles: Learn the range of what's possible, from "homage" to "subversion."
A Step-by-Step Demonstration: Watch the process in action before you start.
3 Specific Writing Prompts: Using provided texts (or bring your own letters, news reports, or failed drafts).
Dedicated writing time.
Brief, supportive feedback on your new drafts.
Places are limited to 12 people to ensure a focused and supportive environment.
We usually think of poetry as an act of addition—adding lines, metaphors, and meaning to a blank page.
Erasure (or blackout) poetry is the art of carving away words from an existing text to reveal (or create) a secret poem hidden within it. By silencing the majority of a page, we force the remaining words to speak a new, surprising truth.
It may sound a little strange to make a poem by chopping away at someone else's words—but when you try it, you'll surprise yourself with both the creativity and the impact of what you make.
Erasure is more than just an exercise; it's a high-level craft tool that gives you four major gifts:
Subverting the Unbearable: When you're faced with politicians or others saying things you passionately reject, erasure lets you speak back and undermine their objectionable stance—using their very own words!
Deepening Homage: On the other hand, by starting from a text you already love, you can pay sincere homage by finding a powerful poem inside it.
Sharpening Skills: Because you’re working from someone else’s words, erasure forces you to look at structure and images a little differently, teaching you lessons about imagery and concision that you can carry to the rest of your writing as well.
The Writer's Block Cure: It's a fantastic way to generate work when you feel uninspired. When you can't find your own words, you find them in the world around you.
Erasure looks easy, but it is surprisingly difficult to do well. Without a plan, it's common to end up with a mess, or to remain trapped by the original author's voice.
In this month's Spark, I will lead you through a clear, step-by-step process to treat a source text as a block of marble, carving out a poem that is entirely your own. You’ll get craft instead of mess, and freedom instead of limitation!
Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced poet looking for a fresh approach to language, this workshop will give you a new way to see the poem hiding in any piece of writing. I will provide a variety of source texts to work with, but you are also welcome to bring your own materials to personalize your project.
Included in this session:
A Showcase of Erasure Styles: Learn the range of what's possible, from "homage" to "subversion."
A Step-by-Step Demonstration: Watch the process in action before you start.
3 Specific Writing Prompts: Using provided texts (or bring your own letters, news reports, or failed drafts).
Dedicated writing time.
Brief, supportive feedback on your new drafts.
Places are limited to 12 people to ensure a focused and supportive environment.