Verbatim found poetry is an intriguing collection of found poems. Poems found in ordinary, and not so ordinary places. Submit yours.
I want to die.
I want to break free
lyrics. I want to be anorexic.
I want to break free.
I want to be skinny; I want
to be a model.
I want to be thin.
I want to lose weight; I want
to know what love is
lyrics. I want
to get pregnant.
Google autosuggestions for the search term ‘I want to’, September 2009.
Illustrator/View
Preview overprint,
preview pixel, preview.
Proof setup, proof,
colors zoom in, zoom.
Out fit in window,
actual size. Hide edges,
hide artboard, hide,
page tiling show.
Slices lock, slices,
show template, show,
rulers hide bounding box,
show transparency grid.
Show text threads,
guides smart, guides.
Show grid, snap to grid,
snap to point new:
View edit, views.
Adobe Illustrator ‘View’ menu, October 2009.
In Nineteen hundred and three
Benjamin Ginsberg,
–the founder of rooibos tea–
rode into the remote Cedarberg Mountains
in the Cape and found farmers
making a rough brew from a wild plant.
Using traditional tea curing
techniques he perfected
–this delicious tea–
now enjoyed round the world.
Today his family continues
–their unbroken rooibos tea–
tradition from Nineteen hundred and three.
Tick Tock tea is still made
to his original specifications.
Gentle and soothing, rooibos tea
is well known for its many health properties.
–Naturally caffeine free–
Tick Tock can be enjoyed by the whole family
at any time of day, or as the ideal
bedtime drink. And it is high
in antioxidants that can help protect
your immune system against free
radicals. Organically grown,
–Tick Tock rooibos tea–
is still harvested by hand and cured
naturally in the clear Cedarberg air.
From the side of a Tick Tock 80 tea bags box. Submitted by Amy.
The problem of ‘ideology’ and ‘politics’
influencing statistics
affects not only their reliability
and validity
but also their availability.
In some cases this problem was insurmountable,
and statistics on, for example,
the number of young asylum seekers,
were simply not available;
the discussion section deals with this.
However, rather than allow the availability
of statistics – a political issue –
to shape which variables
I chose to present
data on, I felt a moral
imperative to present the findings with ‘gaps’
since, in any case, the gaps
in these statistics spoke perhaps
more, than the statistics
which were available.
Excerpt from my 2009 dissertation. Submitted by Emma.
The top ten weirdest
and funniest
Japanese condoms.
Ten ways to have fun
with boobs.
Fifteen ads that prove
sex sells … best? Thirteen
haunted houses
that will make you
wet your pants. Girls
get the anime look
with extra-wide
contact lenses. Fresh
baked bread, anyone?
Gruesome body bakery.
Fifteen strange
and bizarre gifts
for the weirdos
in your life. World’s first
eyeball tattoo – ouch!
Ten types of women
you need to avoid.
The top ten
weird and bizarre
Japanese soft drinks.
Top 10 all-time most popular articles on inventorspot.com, as of 13 August 2009.
When I was twelve, I was interviewed by
a doctoral candidate in
education and asked what I wanted
to be when I grew up.
I said that I wanted either to be
a philosopher or a clown,
and I understood then, I think that much
depended on whether or not
I found the world worth philosophising
about, and what the price of
seriousness might be. I was not sure I
wanted to be a philosopher,
and I confess that I have never quite
overcome that doubt.
From ‘Undoing Gender’ by Judith Butler (London: Routledge 2004), p234. Submitted by Marika Rose.
Tenir ce sac et sa poignée
hors de portée des bébés et enfants
pour éviter tout risque d’étouffement.
Plastiktüte und Gryff von Babys und Kindern
fernhalten, um Erstickungs – und
Erdrosselungsgefahr zu vermeiden.
Per evitare rischi di soffocamento
o strangolamento, tenere questa busta di plastica
fuori della portata del bambini.
För att undvika risk för kvävning
och strypning, förvara plast
och handtag utom räckhåll för barn.
Tukehtumis – taikka kuristumisriskin
välttämiseksi on muovipakkaus ja kahva
säilytettävä lasten ulottumattomissa.
To avoid danger of suffocation
and strangulation keep this plastic bag
and handle away from babies and children.
Warning on the side of a packet of Pampers nappies.
Look at this glorious shit. Chinese
community lived on skyscraper roofs,
people for sale in Miami, one more
president killed. How can you explain it?
Revolt in Mexico. Person is missing –
problems with sending – didn’t receive
anything. See that girl anywhere?
Can you fix it? Tell me what happened?
Surprise. What I learned: found your mistake,
caught you on camera, all dates of meetings –
he – I recorded your voice. I found your
task. Jolie cut her face, make her your queen
forever. Chief asks for you – sending you
delivery boy, oh you are lucky.
Let’s make a barbecue on a weekend,
flush up to fifteen pounds of waste and toxins
from your body. See you there, address
attached. Where was your mind? You were great.
You were banned. Something strange happens to
everyone. Someone wrote you message.
A compilation of email subject lines from my spam folder over the last month.
Simply the Best, The Bee’s Knees,
Eight Hundred Years of Innovation;
William Wilberforce Freedom Ale,
Eight Hundred Years of Inspiration.
Jack’s Revenge, Geronimo, Polly’s Folly, Oscar Wilde,
Nelson’s Revenge, Tally Ho!, Nero, Black Dog Freddy Mild.
Merry Andrew, Happy Jack, Prometheus, Sir Roger’s Porter,
Edwin Taylor’s Extra Stout, Betty Stogs, Gunner’s Daughter.
Cock ‘n’ Bull story, Mutt’s Nuts, Straw Dog, Stoat,
Golden Newt, Sly Fox, White Hart, Old Goat,
Curlew’s Return, Black Dog Mild, Double Swan, Porker’s Snout,
Funky Monkey, Whapweasel, Marmalade Cat, Oyster Stout.
Porta Porta, Salem Porter,
Black Jack Porter, Aviator;
Rivet Catcher, Umbel Magna
Golden Plover, Silver Adder;
Cornish Knocker, Spingo Bragget
Broadside, Spingo Jubilee;
Kellyhopter, Maritime, Frigate,
Wherry, Village Bike, Maybee…
Nyewood Gold, Somerland Gold, Golden Lance, Dark O,
Shackler’s Gold, Halzephron Gold, Golden Shower, Nero.
Honey Blonde, Sunchaser Blonde, Blonde Bombshell, Loveley’s Fair,
Lakeland Red, Kingston Black, Dark Ruby, Ginger Bear.
Polar Eclipse, Stormwatch, Spooky Moon, Storm Force,
Polar Star, Impy Dark, Dark Forest, Golden Gorse;
Lost in the Woods, Armageddon, Pendle Witches’ Brew,
Flying Serpent, Red Dragon, Iron Bridge Brew.
Elderquad, Agincourt, Danish Dynamite,
Scapa special, Chawden Aur, Chocolate Orange Delight.
Elderfizz, Shacklebush, Mad Monk, Pioneer,
Welterweight, Slumberjack, Pi, Bumble Beer.
Beer names (and three ciders) from the 36th Cambridge Beer Festival Programme, May 2009.
Intermediate spirit receiver
Cool wash into still
Wash to heat exchanger
Warm wash into still
Spent lees
Pot ale out
Pot ale in
Pot ale out
Warmed wash to wash still
Pot ale through heat exchanger
Pot ale from still
Pot ale out to effluent tanks
Pot ale from still
Pot ale out
Pot ale in
Pot ale out
Words written on the pipes at Bladnoch whisky distillery. Visited April 2009.
Verbatim Poetry 
You must be logged in to post a comment.