War Poets

Game Type:

Art Game, Writing Game

Players:

4-10 per team, two judges

Field:

Need a  barrier between the teams- a bench, overturned chairs

Equipment needed:

Paper, writing implements, chalkboard or whiteboard with chalk or dry erase markers

Time:

15-20 min

Rules:

Create a barrier of about three feet in height in between two areas. Draw a line down the middle of the blackboard/whiteboard and write the names of each team on either side. 

The object of the game is to inhibit the other team’s ability to write a poem. Before the game starts, teams collectively select a theme that they will write a poem about: war, love, loss etc. Teams have five minutes to write individual letters on a piece of paper and crumple them up into artillery. At the end of the five minutes they have a five minute paper fight across the barrier created. A judge stands on either side, notes which balls hit the team, and saves them. At the end of the fight, each judge opens the respective teams’ balls and writes the letter down on the team’s blackboard/whiteboard area. Teams then have to collectively write a poem on their side of the board while not using the letters they were hit with. Teams then each read their poems in a loud dramatic voice.