Template: Writing A Found Poem Or Rap Song printable pdf download

Name _______________________________

Date ____________________________

SHAKESPEARE IS A BLACK GIRL, or Why We Read Stuff by Old, Dead White Guys

TEMPLATE: WRITING A FOUND POEM OR RAP SONG

Get A Topic – Use Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 29,” your assigned section of Maya Angelou’s

poem “A Brave and Startling Truth,” the article by Karen Swallow Prior, and this Writing

Template as guides to help you create your own “found” poem or rap song. Remember,

a “found” poem is one where you take words and/or phrases from other sources and

rework them in a new way, such as adding or deleting words and changing spaces and

lines.

Brainstorm – This is a very important part, if not the most important part, of writing a

poem or rap. Brainstorming is a great way to get the creative juices flowing, to let ideas

flow before you start writing. Use the highlighted sections of the poems and article to

help you.

Think of a Title – Now is a good time to think of a title for your poem or song. This

doesn’t mean you can’t change the title later. Picking a title will give you a starting point.

Introduction – An introduction provides your audience with the context—or background

details—of the “story” for your poem or song.

Write The Chorus/Hook – These are the repeating words or phrases. If you are writing

to a beat a good idea is to feel out the beat and write your chorus/hook to fit the beat

you are using.

Write Your Verses – Here is where you write the “story” for your poem or song. Your

finished piece should have at least an introduction, a chorus/hook, and two verses:



For a poem, each verse should be at least eight lines. You may choose to

follow the more structured Shakespearean sonnet, to write an unrhymed free

verse poem, or to create a lyric poem similar to Maya Angelou’s.



For a rap, a verse usually consists of 16 bars (a pair of rhyming sentences =

one bar). The basic rap structure goes: intro, verse, hook, verse, hook, verse,

and hook. Make sure you write your verses to fit your chorus.

Touch It Up – Now that your poem or song is completely written you need to go over it

to correct any errors in spelling or punctuation and to make sure your lyrics make sense.

NOTE: This is an independent activity; your work will be graded as a test.

Directions: Complete the following chart as you create your poem or song.

Template: Writing A Found Poem Or Rap Song