Oct 14th, 2011

Poetry in prose (p. 285 of AQWF) - A FOUND POEM

Summer of 1918—

Never has life in its niggardliness seemed to us so desirable as not;

--the red poppies in the meadows round our billets,

the smooth beetles on the blades of grass,

the warm evenings in the cool, dim rooms,

the black mysterious trees of the twilight,

the stars and the flowing waters,

dreams and long sleep—

O Life, life, life!

Summer of 1918—

Never was so much silently suffered as in the moment when we depart once again for the front-line.

Wild, tormenting rumours of an armistices and peace are in the air,

They lay hold on our hearts and make the return to the front

Harder than ever.

Summer of 1918—

Never was life in the line more bitter and full of horror than in the hours of the bombardment,

When the blanched faces lie in the dirt

And the hands clutch at the one thought:

No! No! Not now!

Not now at the last moment!

Summer of 1918—

Breath of hope that sweeps over the scorched fields,

Raging fever of impatience, of disappointment,

Of the most agonizing terror of death,

Insensate question:  Why?

Life/Death

The stars are cold.

Our comrades are dead,

We have lost all feeling for one another.

The rattle of machine guns becomes an unbroken chain.

Faces are distorted,

Arms strike out,

And the beasts scream.

The sun goes down, night comes, the shells whine,

Life is at an end.

But we want to live at any price.

The stars are cold—

The night is unbearable.

So we lie there with our thoughts

And

Wait.

Found Poetry Assignment

Part 1:

Compile a collection of words or phrases that are particularly descriptive from AQWF.  Don’t worry about the context or page numbers.  Just jot down as many examples of imagery, similes, metaphors, sensory passages, etc.

Part 2:

Create a found poem based on your findings.  Select and organize the words and phrases in a way that creates new, coherent meaning.  In other words, be prepared to explain your reasoning for arranging the poem in that particular way.

*Found poems must be at least 10 lines long.

*Poems will be given a mark out of 10.  Found poems that are complete and thoughtful will receive 8 marks.  Found poems that meet the above requirements, as well as include a short description/analysis of their poem will be able to receive a full 10 marks. 

(from All Quiet on the Western Front)