Blackout poetry is a fun, creative way to turn an already-established text into a visual poem.

The form was created in the 18th century by Scottish wine merchant (and Benjamin Franklin’s neighbor) Caleb Whitefoord (1734-1810), who began to “cross-read” the newspapers and point out the amusing stories that resulted from it.

(Back then, newspapers were printed in vertical columns with small margins, so reading them straight across would often jumble the news- much to Whitefoord’s delight)

He then published broadsides (single prints on cheap paper) with redacted articles that created puns, quips, and poems.

Thus, blackout poetry was born!

Now, modern poets use blackout poetry to challenge traditional forms, create visually stunning poems, and turn ordinary printed trash into extraordinary treasures.

And you can, too!

How to create a Blackout Poem

• First, find an established text that you don’t mind ruining. It can be a newspaper, magazine, old book, etc.
• Then, list the words that stand out to you on a separate sheet of paper.
• Play around with those words to form a poem (also on a separate sheet if you only have one copy of the text to work with).
• When you have a poem, circle the words in the text.
• Black out all the other words.
• Voila!

If you’re artistic, you could draw around the words instead of simply blacking them out to enhance the visual, but it’s not required. Or, if you REALLY feel bad about destroying a book or magazine, try the digital Blackout Poetry Maker for some guilt-free fun!

Blackout poetry is a fun, unique way to combat writer’s block and practice your creativity, and it’s useful for poets of all ages and stages!

Here’s my example, taken from an article in the April 2024 edition of the Cherokee Phoenix:

It says:

Cherokees 
celebrate
celestial 
fellowship.
Traditions 
passing 
between 
dawn, 
dusk.

Now, try it yourself and enjoy!