found poem

Last week, the 9th grade class that I work with was studying To Kill a Mockingbird (fave!) and as an addition to their reading, their teacher asked them to write a "found" poem. Basically, they had to go through chapters 17-22 (the courtroom scene) and pull out words or phrases that stuck out to them and place them on their paper in poem form. It didn't need to rhyme, but there needed to be some cohesion to the words and phrases.

They lent me a book and let me come up with my own. Here's my version of the courtroom scene:

Court Room Proceedings

the solicitor

had a slight cast in one of his eyes

was a hell on juries and witnesses

the jury

paid attention

Judge Taylor

expecting an objection

the court reporter's furiously scribbling hand

"just answer the question..." said Atticus dryly

Mr. Tate

stepped down from the witness stand

there were no arguments

there was no drama

take the oath

"--so help me God"

another glance from the bench

Judge Taylor banged his gavel

exchanged glances

"objection"

"irrelevant 'n' immaterial"

"overruled"

"tricking lawyers with their tricking ways"

the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth

Atticus turned to the defendant

turned...to the witness,

rained questions on her

no answer.

the press

soaking up testimony

"that was the only thing...'sturbed in that room"

"i swear 'fore God"

be sure beyond all reasonable doubt

"in the name of God, do your duty"

all in all, it was a fun and interesting assignment. I enjoyed re-reading those chapters and trying to pull out what i thought were the more interesting sections. and perhaps it's just my pre-lawness coming out, but i was most intrigued by the actual proceedings than anything else.

(and don't judge....i didn't do a rough draft. this was all free-flowing)