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Blackout Poetry Project

The Boutelle-Day Poetry Center at Smith College

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PostEmily

The image shows a surreal illustration on a light purple background. A black rectangular shape with legs represents a person or furniture piece. Above it are simple line drawings of a lamp and framed pictures. Below, a white lacy skirt or undergarment is visible. The black rectangle has strips of yellow text visible, creating a blackout poetry effect. The overall composition suggests a hotel room or domestic scene with an abstract interpretation.

In a Small Hotel

The image shows a page from a book with ornate floral illustrations overlaid on the text. Purple flowers and green leaves are drawn in a swirling pattern across the yellowed page. Some words are circled or highlighted in orange, creating a found poetry effect. The background has a light yellow wash, and intricate black lines form organic shapes throughout the composition.

ETIQUETTE (Fragile)

The image shows a framed artwork on a dark background. It features cut-out words connected by thin white lines, forming a branching diagram. In the lower right corner is an illustration of an antique desk with multiple telephones. At the bottom of the frame is a colorful illustration of a spotted frog. The frame is beige with thin black lines in the corners. A signature and date are visible at the bottom left, and a studio name is printed at the bottom of the frame.

In a Small Silver House

The image shows a framed collage-style artwork. It features a dark brown background with scattered words cut out from text, creating a black out poetry effect. A colorful marbled pattern is on the left side, and a red strip on the right. A white card with a blue table illustration and the word "table" is prominently displayed. The frame has a beige border with a swirling texture. At the bottom, outside the frame, are three blue postage stamps depicting a domed building.

Table

The image shows a blackout poetry piece with a dark background. An orange sun with a face is depicted in the upper right corner. Below it is a large circular design resembling an eye surrounded by stars. Small white dots and crosses are scattered across the dark background, creating a night sky effect. A few words from the original text remain visible, creating a found poem. The overall composition has a mystical, celestial theme.

Full

The image shows a page titled "MODERN MAN AND GIRL" transformed into blackout poetry. Most of the text is covered with various shades of blue paint, leaving selected words and phrases visible. Some text snippets are highlighted by being placed on white rectangles, creating a stark contrast against the blue background.

Her Life Nudged

The image shows a page from a book with most of the text obscured by white space. A simple illustration of a candle with a red and yellow flame is visible on the left side. A few selected words remain visible, creating a found poem. The page number 378 and the word "ETIQUETTE" appear at the top of the page.

Intimate

The image shows a page from a book transformed into blackout poetry. Blue paint covers most of the text, leaving selected words visible. A small black and white sketch of an old television is at the center. Blue paint splatters decorate the edges of the page. The overall effect creates a visual poem with a seaside and garden theme.

CLAMBAKE

The image shows a page from a book that has been transformed into a blackout poetry artwork. Colorful strips of paint and marker cover most of the text, leaving select words and phrases visible to create a new poetic composition. The page is decorated with bright splotches, dots, and abstract designs in various colors. Green leaf-like designs frame the bottom corners of the page. The overall effect is a vibrant, visually striking piece of found poetry.

Party

A Blackout poetry project on a page of text, with most words obscured in black. The remaining words form a new poem, highlighted with blue and black outlines. The page is adorned with red thread coming unravelled across the text, circling the word "love"

DIVORCE

A Blackout poetry project on a page of text, with most words obscured by whiteout to form a new poem from the remaining visible words. The page features artistic elements including a dark hooded figure at the top, an illustration of a bird on the left, and a vintage image of two birds on the right. Black swirling lines are drawn around the visible words, adding to the visual composition.

Are You Going To

The image shows a vintage black and white photograph of an opulent formal dining room. A long table is set with fine china, crystal, and ornate candelabras. The room features elaborate wall decorations and a large fireplace. Overlaid on the image are several small pieces of text in white boxes, reminiscent of a blackout poetry project. At the top of the image is a header reading "ANSWERS" and at the bottom is a caption describing the scene.

ANSWERS

The image shows a page from a book titled "Etiquette" with a colorful floral pattern as the background. The pattern features various stylized plants and flowers in shades of green, pink, and brown. Scattered throughout the image are small strips of text that appear to be part of a blackout poetry project, standing out against the vibrant botanical illustration.

I Know I Oughtn’t

The image shows a page of text mostly obscured by dark blue paint strokes, creating a blackout poetry effect. Some words and phrases remain visible, appearing as white text against the blue background. The overall composition has a moody, atmospheric quality with varying shades of blue and black dominating the visual space.

FORMAL CORRESPONDENCE

A Blackout poetry project created on a page of text, with most of the words obscured by a layer of yellow paint. The remaining visible words form a new poem, highlighted and connected by blue and red loops of thread that are sewn into the page, each of them ending with a sewing needle stuck through the paper. The yellow paint leaves a rough border around the edges of the page

No no no

A blackout poetry project on a text page, where most words have been obscured with a black marker. The remaining visible words form a new poem. The page is decorated with cut-out blue and beige fabric pieces, including a crescent moon in the top left corner and a wave pattern at the bottom.

Underneath Sight

A Blackout poetry project composed on a page of text, with most of the words obscured by black marker. The remaining visible words form a new poem. The page is adorned with blue patterned fabric pieces and an illustration of a man in vintage clothing standing on the bottom left, near a collage of flowers and a rosette.

On The Kneeling Surface

The image shows a page from a book about etiquette, specifically discussing an audience with the Pope. The text is overlaid with vertical stripes of blue and yellow paint, creating a striped pattern across the entire page. Some words at the bottom are circled in pencil. The overall effect is that of a found poem or altered book art piece, combining the original text with abstract painterly elements.

The Pope

The image shows a collage-style artwork on a page with purple-highlighted text to create a blackout poem. It features various elements including a butterfly, a pocket watch, a mason jar with a bird design, a phrenology head diagram, gemstones, a moon, and a vintage label. There's also a decorative spoon and part of a map visible. The overall composition creates a vintage, eclectic aesthetic with a mix of scientific and natural imagery against a backdrop of redacted text.

No More

The image shows a page of text with most words blacked out, leaving only selected phrases visible. A large white bird with speckled wings appears to fly across the page. Below, there are four small red-tinted portraits of people. In the bottom left corner, a green tree is visible. The overall effect is that of a collage or mixed media artwork combining text, imagery, and redaction.

NOT ART

This image shows a page from a book about etiquette, with a pink watercolor wash overlay. Several sections of text are circled or underlined in black, creating a blackout poetry effect. Small pink heart doodles and flower sketches decorate the margins and corners of the page. The overall appearance is a blend of printed text, handwritten annotations, and artistic embellishments on a single book page.

Yesterday

This image depicts a blackout poetry piece created on a page from a book. The majority of the text is obscured by black rectangles, leaving only select words and phrases visible. The result is a stark black and white composition with a grid-like pattern of blacked-out areas interspersed with exposed text. The page number 266 is visible at the top, and the overall effect is one of abstract visual art combined with found poetry.

Wishing to Avoid

This image shows a blackout poetry artwork on a black background framed by a decorative white border. The piece features small white text boxes scattered across the top half, and a stylized figure of a clown in white and red at the bottom. Small white hearts and stars are scattered around the edges. The entire composition is set against a vibrant red background with a white chevron pattern.

No Words

This image shows a mixed-media artwork based on a page about telephone etiquette. The text is partially obscured with purple and yellow highlights. A large yellow butterfly is depicted in the upper right corner. The bottom half features a vintage photograph of a person in ornate clothing, overlaid with decorative elements like sequins and beads. Postage stamps and floral illustrations adorn the corners. The overall effect is a colorful, layered collage combining text, imagery, and embellishments

Courtesy

The image shows a page from a book with most of the text blacked out, leaving only select words visible. Surrounding the text are hand-drawn illustrations in yellow, blue, and red, depicting gemstones and a golden ingot. The visible words "WELL-APPOINTED" are prominently displayed at the top. The overall effect creates a unique piece of found poetry and visual art.

Fundamental Luxuries

This image shows a page with a red and black checkered pattern overlay. Small sections of text are visible through the pattern, creating a fragmented narrative. In the upper right corner, there's a simple illustration of a lit cigarette with curling smoke. The overall effect is striking, with the bold colors and pattern contrasting against the visible text

Her Arms

This image is a colorful collage featuring a mix of elements layered over a page of text. It includes vibrant flowers, butterflies in various colors, leaves, and decorative floral designs. A small vintage-style image of a woman is visible among the flora. Parts of the underlying text are highlighted or obscured by purple markings to create a blackout poem. The overall effect is a lively, nature-inspired composition with a vintage aesthetic.

GIVING NAME

This image shows a page from a book about club etiquette with a large circular area heavily blacked out. Within this circle, select phrases are highlighted in yellow, creating a stark contrast. A small note in red handwriting appears in the bottom right of the circle. The overall effect is of a redacted document with key phrases intentionally left visible, forming a new narrative from the original text.

Enmity

This image shows a page from a book about club etiquette, with sections of text crossed out in a diamond pattern. Some phrases are highlighted in yellow. Red handwritten text surrounds the page margins, creating a frame-like effect. The overall appearance suggests a creative alteration of the original text, emphasizing certain parts while obscuring others.

The Chainlink Etiquette

The image shows a page from a book on etiquette, with most of the text redacted by thick black lines. Only select words and phrases remain visible, creating a new, shorter message from the original text. The page number 424 is visible at the top, and "ETIQUETTE" is written in the upper right corner. The redactions create a pattern of horizontal black bars across the page, with small sections of text peeking through.

Mrs. Lavender

This image shows a page from a book about letter writing, with most of the text covered by green highlighter. Red pen markings circle and underline certain phrases. The page number 539 is visible at the top right, along with a handwritten date. The title "LONGER LETTERS" appears at the top of the page. Several sections of text remain uncovered, creating a blackout poem against the green background.

Lunch

The image shows a page from an index or table of contents, with most of the text blacked out. Blue lines connect selected words and phrases that remain visible, creating a new poetic message. The visible words form a shape resembling a person or stick figure on the page, with the word "INDEX" at the top serving as the head.

Dancing Without Dancing

The image shows an ornate, antique-looking wooden panel or door with intricate carvings. The central design features an oval frame with diamond-shaped details inside. The panel is heavily decorated with scrollwork, floral patterns, and geometric shapes. The overall appearance is aged and weathered, giving it a vintage or historic feel. Small pieces of paper with handwritten text are attached at various points on the panel.

Business Card

The image shows a page from a book titled "ETIQUETTE", artistically altered with watercolor-like blue and gold washes. A face in profile is painted over the text in the upper half. The lower portion features swirling blue lines resembling waves or wind, partially obscuring the text. Some words remain visible, creating a found poetry effect. The overall appearance is that of a mixed media artwork combining text and abstract painting elements.

Please Keep

The image shows a page from a book with the title "WHETHER HOSTESS OR GUEST." Most of the text on the page has been redacted or blacked out, creating a blackout poetry effect. Only select words and phrases remain visible, scattered throughout the page. The background is an off-white paper with slight aging or discoloration visible.

WHETHER HOSTESS OR GUEST

The image shows a page of text heavily redacted with black lines, creating a blackout poetry effect. Various decorative elements are added, including light blue zigzag patterns, green strips, and abstract blue shapes with white dots resembling blossoms or snowflakes. A silver ribbon appears to be woven through the top right corner. The overall composition creates a collage-like appearance with text peeking through the artistic embellishments.

Greetings

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