Tecumseh Blackout Poem - SYLLABUS · Tecumseh: Blackout Poem ... Step 4: Select words, without...

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Tecumseh:BlackoutPoem

Blackoutpoemscanbecreatedusingthepagesofoldbooksorevenarticlescutfromthenewspaper.Usingthepagesofanexistingtext,blackoutpoetsisolatethenpiecetogethersinglewordsorshortphrasesfromthesetextstocreatelyricalmasterpieces.Youwillusethe“QuotesbyTecumseh”handouttocreateyourblackoutpoem.DIRECTIONS:Step1: ScanthehandoutofTecumsehquotesbeforereading itcompletely.Keepaneyeoutforananchorwordasyouscan.Ananchorwordisonewordonthepagethatstandsouttoyoubecauseitispackedandloadedwithmeaningandsignificance.Step2:Nowreadthepageofquotesinitsentirety.Useapenciltolightlycircleanywordsthatconnecttotheanchorwordandresonatewithyou.Resonantwordsmightbeexpressiveorevocative,butforwhateverreason,thesearethewordsonthepagethatstickwithyou.Avoidcirclingmorethanthreewordsinarow.Step3:Listallofthecircledwordsonaseparatelinedpieceofpaper.Listthewordsintheorderthattheyappearonthepageoftextfromtoptobottom,lefttoright.Thewordsyouuseforthefinalpoemwillremaininthisordersoitdoesn’tconfusethereader.Step4:Selectwords,withoutchangingtheirorderonthelist,andpiecethemtogethertocreate the linesofapoem.Youcaneliminatepartsofwords,especiallyanyendings, if ithelpstokeepthemeaningofthepoemclear.Trydifferentpossibilitiesforyourpoembeforeselectingthelinesforyourfinalpoem.Ifyouarestuckduringthisstep,returnbacktotheoriginalpageofquotes.Therightwordyouaresearchingforcouldbetherewaitingforyou.Step5:ReturntothepageofTecumsehquotesandcircleonlythewordsyouselectedforthefinalpoem.Remembertoalsoerasethecirclesaroundanywordsyouwillnotbeusing.Step6:Addanillustrationordesigntothepageofquotesthatconnectstoyourpoem.Beverycarefulnottodrawoverthecircledwordsyouselectedforyourfinalpoem!GUIDELINES:1.Useblackpenorblackmarker.2.Illustrationordesignmustbecolored,orinblackpenorblackmarker.Youwilllosepointsifdoneinpencil.3.10pointspossible.

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BlackoutPoemExamples

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QuotesbyTecumseh

FrommytribeItakenothing,Iamthemakerofmyownfortune.Whenyouriseinthemorning,givethanksforthelight,foryourlife,foryourstrength.Givethanksforyourfoodandforthejotofliving.Ifyouseenoreasontogivethanks,thefaultliesinyourself.Whenthelegendsdie,thedreamsend;thereisnomoregreatness.Soliveyourlifethatthefearofdeathcanneverenteryourheart.Loveyourlife,perfectyourlife,beautifyallthingsinyourlife.SeektomakeyourlifelonganditsPurposeintheserviceofyourpeople.Prepareanobledeathsongforthedaywhenyouoverthegreatdivide.Whenyourtimecomestodie,benotlikethosewhoseheartsarefilledwithfearofdeath,sothatwhentheirtimecomestheyweepandprayforalittlemoretimetolivetheirlivesoveragaininadifferentway.Singyourdeathsong,anddieslikeaherogoinghome.Notribehastherighttosell,eventoeachother,muchlesstostrangers....Sellacountry!Whynotselltheair,thegreatsea,aswellastheearth?Didn'ttheGreatSpiritmakethemallfortheuseofhischildren?Theway,theonlywaytostopthisevilisfortheredmantouniteinclaimingacommonandequalrightintheland,asitwasfirst,andshouldbenow,foritwasneverdivided.Wegavethemforest-cladmountainsandvalleysfullofgame,andinreturnwhatdidtheygiveourwarriorsandourwomen?Rum,trinkets,andagrave.WheretodayarethePequot?WherearetheNarragansett,theMohican,thePokanoket,andmanyotheroncepowerfultribesofourpeople?TheyhavevanishedbeforetheavariceandtheoppressionoftheWhiteMan,assnowbeforeasummersun.Willweletourselvesbedestroyedinourturnwithoutastruggle,giveupourhomes,ourcountrybequeathedtousbytheGreatSpirit,thegravesofourdeadandeverythingthatisdearandsacredtous?Iknowyouwillcrywithme,'Never!Never!'IamShawnee!Iamawarrior!Myforefatherswerewarriors.FromthemItookonlymybirthintothisworld.FrommytribeItakenothing.Iamthemakerofmyowndestiny!AndofthatImightmakethedestinyofmyredpeople,ofournation,asgreatasIconceivetoinmymind,whenIthinkofWeshemoneto,whorulesthisuniverse!