Prose Poems

Edison was an avid reader of poetry and prose, as well as an enthusiast of the theater. He was well-read and very attentive to language; the found poetry displays an unexpected and deeply personal side of his work. It’s rare to find an aspect of Edison that’s not part of the usual view of him.

The following are two of the prose poems that have been discovered in Edison's original papers:

The Papers of Thomas A. Edison Volume 2
From Workshop to Laboratory June 1873-March 1876

523 Prose Poem

The Papers of Thomas A. Edison Volume 6
Electrifying New York and Abroad April 1881–March 1883

2116 Prose Poem

To listen to Blaine McCormick discuss Edison's poems on NPR's August 13th Talk of the Nation inteview, click here

For further information on Blaine McCormick's Innumerable Machines in My Mind: Found poetry in the Papers of Thomas Edison visit Moon Pie Press