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Nov 27, 2007 · All of these are good qualities to notice, and they may lead you to a better understanding of the poem in the end. But sooner or later, you’re going to have to read the poem, word by word. To begin, read the poem aloud. Read it more than once. Listen to your voice, to the sounds the words make.
- Diving Into The Wreck
Diving into the Wreck by Adrienne Rich . First having read...
- The Red Wheelbarrow
It should be clear at this point that inquiry into earlier...
- Stanzas
The monostich is a stanza—a whole poem—consisting of just...
- Edward Hirsch
The Heart of American Poetry (Library of America, 2022) A...
- William Carlos Williams
Poems (1909) The Tempers (1913) Al Que Quiere! (1917) Sour...
- Diving Into The Wreck
- Know The Logistics Beforehand
- Speak Slowly, Clearly, and with Emphasis
- Keep Introductory Remarks Brief and Pertinent
- Know What You’Re Going to Read Beforehand
- Order Your Poems For Maximum Impact
- Don’T Be Afraid to Show Your Personality
Familiarity with the space and equipment can be extremely useful. Isthere a microphone and how sensitive is it? Some microphones pop on certain letter sounds, like ‘s’ or ‘p’. Is there time to practice before the audience arrives? Is there a stage? A podium? What type of atmosphere should you expect? A rowdy barroom, quiet bookstore, or something i...
As an audience member, one of the most common issues I’ve encountered is a poet who simply reads the words off the page. Often, poets rush through each piece as if trying to squeeze as much into the allotted reading time as possible. But all literature, especially poetry, requires breathing room for the audience to consider each image and concept b...
Introductions can provide necessary context for a poem, imbuing the words with greater significance; offering a personal anecdote can invite the audience into the poet’s world. However, all too often poets use introductions to explain or justify the text, giving too much away and thereby lessening the poem’s impact. Such remarks should be used spar...
Rifling through poems on stage is both distracting and unprofessional. Sure, poets often decide to cut, add, or reorder poems mid-reading depending on time constraints or the vibe of the audience. If an audience seems bored, it’s good to cut out a few poems. If a certain kind of poem seems to be resonating more than another, it makes sense to conce...
Remembering that a poetry reading is meant to be an experience, how do you want the audience to feel? What do you want them to contemplate? How can you order your poems to hopefully achieve this? Lead off with a strong poem that will hook the audience, and end with a poem that leaves a lasting impact. Balance your more popular, tried-and-true poems...
The audience isn’t there for a direct textual poetry reading. They want to get to know the poet behind the words, at least a little. So don’t be afraid to let your personality shine. Be it funny, somber, or warm, remember to give the audience a glimpse into your heart. This can be done in the subtlest of ways, from quick smiles to brief poignant an...
Nov 11, 2021 · 1. Read the poem twice in a row. Take note of what you notice the second time that wasn’t so apparent in your first reading. 2. Don’t skip over unfamiliar words. Pay attention to them and look them up. You can’t be assured you fully understand a poem if you don’t understand all its words. 3.
Read a poem with a pencil in your hand. Mark it up; write in the margins; react to it; get involved with it. Circle important, or striking, or repeated words. Draw lines to connect related ideas. Mark difficult or confusing words, lines, and passages. Read through the poem several times, both silently and aloud, listening carefully to the sound ...
Mar 24, 2024 · Reading a poem, however, requires more time and close thinking. The experience of reading a poem is an event that must be savored. You have to consider the meaning of metaphors, images, similes, and other poetic devices in order to appreciate and understand the text of a poem. Reading a short story requires more thought than the newspaper ...
Jun 21, 2024 · Allow yourself the chance to read it a few ways and at varied paces so that you can settle into the natural flow of the poem. If it’s a poem you want to ruminate on, record yourself reading it and listen back a few times. 5. Add context to paint a full picture. Finally, return to the beginning.
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reader” when you read poetry. How you read a poem is just as important as how it was written. Consider these words by poet Edward Hirsch: “To read a poem is to depart from the familiar, to leave all expectations behind… The poem is a muscular and composed thing. It moves like a wave, dissolving the literal. We
