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Found poem

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A poem created by selecting and recontextualizing words or phrases from non-poetic sources—such as ads, manuals, or speeches—into new meaning.

Detailed Definition
Found poem is created by selecting and reframing text from non-poetic sources—such as newspapers, manuals, or advertisements—treating everyday language as raw material; pioneered by Dadaists and popularized by Cage and Ashbery, it challenges definitions of authorship and poetic originality.
Example
Example in poetry:
Found poem: assembling phrases from a newspaper into anti-war verse; M. NourbeSe Philip’s “Zong!” uses legal documents to memorialize enslaved Africans; A poem crafted from street signs or product labels; Contemporary examples use social media posts as raw material; Found poetry reveals lyricism in everyday language.
Additional Notes
Found poem is created by selecting and reframing text from non-poetic sources (ads, speeches, manuals); it highlights hidden poetry in everyday language and challenges notions of authorship and originality.
Also Known As
Collage poem Assembled verse Appropriated text Readymade poetry Kleptopoem
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