1. Introduction
Blackout poetry is a creative practice where you take an existing text—such as a newspaper article, a novel excerpt, or even a poem—and selectively remove words to reveal a new, often surprising, piece of verse. The purpose is twofold: it transforms the original material into something fresh and it forces the creator to engage deeply with language, meaning, and rhythm.
Historically, blackout poetry emerged in the 1970s as part of the New York School of poets who experimented with collage and visual art. In recent years, the technique has resurfaced on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where artists share their blacked-out creations in short videos or images.
Why is blackout poetry powerful? Because it demands a careful balance between preservation and deletion—each cut is an intentional act that shapes narrative, tone, and imagery. The result is often a poem that feels both familiar and entirely new.
2. Materials & Setup
Choosing the Right Source Text
Select texts that resonate with you or contain rich language. Classic literature offers dense vocabulary; news articles provide contemporary themes; poems give poetic structures to play with.
- Example: Use a passage from Shakespeare’s hamlet for dramatic tension.
- Example: Pick an editorial on climate change for urgent imagery.
Tools Required
Traditional tools: paper, highlighter or pen, scissors. Digital options include PDF editors, photo editing software, or specialized blackout apps.
- Paper & Highlighter: Allows tactile interaction and easy removal.
- Digital: Enables precise selection and instant preview.
Preparing the Workspace
Create a quiet environment with good lighting. Keep your source text in front of you, and set aside a clean sheet for the final poem.
3. The Blackout Process
1. Reading & Understanding
Skim the passage to grasp its overall theme and tone. Identify key words or phrases that carry emotional weight.
2. Marking Strategy
Highlight potential lines or words using different colors to represent thematic layers.
- Red: Conflict or tension.
- Blue: Resolution or hope.
3. Cutting & Removing
Systematically remove non-essential text. Decide whether to cut single lines for precision or blocks for dramatic effect.
- Single Line Cuts: Preserve subtle rhythm.
- Block Cuts: Create bold visual statements.
4. Rearranging & Editing
Move highlighted words to form new syntax. Adjust punctuation for rhythm and clarity.
- Example: Take “silence” from one line and place it at the end of another to create a dramatic pause.
4. Poetic Elements in Blackout Poetry
Meter & Rhythm
Notice natural cadence in the source text. Maintain or alter meter by cutting words that disrupt flow.
- Example: Keep a line with an iambic pattern: “the wind / blows / through.”
Imagery & Sensory Detail
Select vivid words that evoke strong images. Blackout poetry often relies on the remaining words to paint a picture.
- Example: Highlight “crimson” and “shadows” to create a sunset scene.
Tone & Voice
Shift the original tone by choosing words that convey a different mood. The new poem can be hopeful, mournful, or ironic.
- Example: From a sarcastic editorial, pick “hope” and “future” to craft an optimistic verse.
Structure (Stanzas, Lines)
Organize the remaining words into coherent stanzas. Use line breaks to guide the reader’s eye.
5. Creative Techniques
Layering Themes
Overlay multiple themes by selective cuts, creating depth.
- Example: Combine words about “freedom” and “courage” to explore resilience.
Contrast & Juxtaposition
Pair opposing words or ideas to create tension.
Repetition & Echoes
Use repeated motifs to reinforce the central message.
- Example: Repeat “hope” three times across stanzas.
Alliteration & Assonance
Highlight sound patterns for musicality.
- Example: Choose words like “soft,” “sigh,” and “silence” to create a gentle alliterative line.
6. Common Pitfalls and Solutions
- Over‑cutting leading to incoherence: Review the poem after each cut; keep a backup copy of the original text.
- Under‑cutting resulting in clutter: Aim for a balance—remove enough to reveal meaning but not so much that it becomes chaotic.
- Losing original context unintentionally: Keep notes on why you cut each word; revisit if the poem feels disconnected.
- Strategies: iterative review, peer feedback: Share drafts with friends or online communities for constructive critique.
7. Advanced Variations
Digital Blackout Poetry
Use software like Adobe Acrobat or Canva to select and delete text precisely. Digital tools allow instant preview and easy sharing.
- Example: Use a PDF editor to highlight words in blue, then remove them with the eraser tool.
Collaborative Projects
Combine multiple source texts or contributors. Each participant can blackout different sections, and the final poem is assembled collaboratively.
- Example: Two poets black out a newspaper article separately; their selections are merged into one piece.
Thematic Series
Create a sequence of poems around a single concept—e.g., “time,” “memory,” or “identity.” Each poem explores a different facet.
- Example: Use three different articles about history to craft a trilogy on the passage of time.
8. Presentation & Publication
Formatting for Print or Digital Media
Use clean typography; consider adding background images that complement the poem’s theme. For digital, use responsive layouts.
- Example: Print on white paper with black ink; add a subtle watermark of the source text.
Choosing Appropriate Titles and Captions
A title should hint at the poem’s origin or theme. Captions can credit the original author and explain the blackout process.
- Example: Title: “Echoes of Silence”; Caption: “Blackout poetry derived from a 2021 New York Times article.”
Ethical Considerations: Crediting Original Sources
Always acknowledge the original text. Provide links or citations where possible.
- Example: Include a footnote: “Source: The Guardian, 15 March 2022.”
9. Practice Exercises
Step-by-step Guided Example from Classic Literature
Take the opening of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: “Two households, both alike in dignity…”
1. Highlight words: “two,” “households,” “dignity.”
2. Cut everything else.
3. Rearrange to form: “Two households, dignity.”
4. Add punctuation for rhythm: “Two households—dignity.”
Prompt Lists to Spark New Blackout Projects
- Prompt 1: A news article about a scientific breakthrough.
- Prompt 2: A poem by Emily Dickinson on nature.
- Prompt 3: An advertisement for a new product.
Reflection Questions to Deepen Understanding
- What emotional beats did you preserve in your blackout poem?
- How did the removal of words alter the original tone?
- Which poetic elements (meter, imagery) were most affected by your cuts?
10. Conclusion
Blackout poetry invites you to become a curator of language—selecting what stays and what goes. By mastering the techniques outlined above, you can transform ordinary texts into powerful verse that resonates with readers. Keep experimenting: try different source materials, explore digital tools, collaborate with others, and most importantly, enjoy the creative journey.
Happy blacking out!