Mark Rothko
[ 01 Dec ]
London’s Tate Modern is currently
holding an exhibition of Mark
Rothko’s later works through to 1st
February 2009. The collection
plunges the viewer into his deep
“colorfields” – chromatic spaces for
meditation.
-Nina Alvarez
This is a found poem, stumbled upon on the front page of Artprice.com. If you have any found poems, send them in! This is found poem week.
Poem of the Month 
Ok, you ask for comment: Found Poems do NOT have additions as part of the poem. And your Mark piece above is not in any fashion a poem–it is just an uninteresting selection of words. It would be much better to not try and enlighten readers as to the nature of something – a kind of poetry – without being more knowledgeable.
The above piece has not had anything added. It was found as it is.
As for it being an interesting collection of words or not, that is a matter of opinion.
What I can tell you for sure is that what I posted above IS a version of a found poem, so your comment and its insinuation about my level of knowledge are incorrect.
I posted this lesson two and a half years ago and so I had to go back and remember what what going on. And I’ve found that not only is the poem above a found poem, but Fred’s words: “Found Poems do NOT have additions as part of the poem” is incorrect. The original ‘lesson’ I posted was taken directly from Wikipedia’s entry on Found Poetry.
“Found poetry is a type of poetry created by taking words, phrases, and sometimes whole passages from other sources and reframing them as poetry by making changes in spacing and/or lines (and consequently meaning), or by altering the text by additions and/or deletions. The resulting poem can be defined as either treated: changed in a profound and systematic manner; or untreated: virtually unchanged from the order, syntax and meaning of the original.” -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Found_poetry
And if Wikipedia isn’t authoritative enough for you, Mr. Ann Arbor Review, read the description of found poetry at poets.org:
“Found poems take existing texts and refashion them, reorder them, and present them as poems.”
Refashioning means there can be additions made to Found Poems and they are still Found Poems.
So, Fred, I suppose I could say to you: “It would be much better to not try and enlighten readers as to the nature of something – a kind of poetry – without being more knowledgeable.”
Ok, I give you that Wikipedia may be a source used by many today, but it does not mean the definitions found within are in and of themselves very accurate. Afterall, they are contributions from anyone whether they are ‘expert’ or ‘knowledgeable’ or not. And much of the information inclued is very often inaccurate.
Collections and selections of found poems which I have come across and appreciate include those which only used the original writer’s words arranged as poetry–i.e., and contain often lyrical qualities, delightful images, and interesting ideas. And if the selection is fascinating and ‘poetic’ it works as a poem.
I am not the most knowledgeable person by any means on the nature of found poetry, but have come to appreciate some when discovered. My apology, Nina, for “clubbing’ you in my original comment. You obviously are a serious and sincere writer.
All good points, Poet Fred.
And my apologies if my response was overly snarky or defensive. That was a stressful week. We both take what we do seriously, don’t we!
I have a couple of good friends who teach and work at the U of M: Julie Babcock and Megan Levad. If I’m ever in town, maybe we can get coffee and talk books.
Be well. And of course, congrats on being part of a great publication.
-Nina