Visual Poetry

OVERVIEW

In this activity the group creates a collective poem, choosing a writing prompt based on photographs.

The visual poem process can be repeated using any photography prompt for Part 1. See Photo Challenges or Scavenger Hunt activities for prompt ideas.

Suggested supplies

• Phones or cameras

• Paper and pens

• Projector/screen to show images

• Whiteboard or flipchart

STEP-BY-STEP FACILITATION GUIDE

Part 1: Have the participants go outside with phones and cameras and take one picture of something in nature that they find beautiful, or that inspires hope or awe for them.

Note: One facilitator will then take all the pictures and create a photo slideshow while participants are on a break or engaged in another short activity.

Part 2: Show the slideshow of photos and lead a senses-based brainstorm of words that participants associate with the images. Write all the words up on a whiteboard or flipchart.

Next, lead a free write using a prompt that emerges from the brainstorm (for example, choose three words from the brainstorm, or a common thread that emerges).

Have everyone read over their freewrite and choose one sentence to share with the group to create a group poem. Go around as each participant reads their sentence aloud, while your co-facilitator shows the slideshow again, creating a group poem.

*This activity was first developed for Access To Media Education Society’s Climate Matters workshops https://accesstomedia.org/programs/