How to Recite a Poem

Reciting poetry requires much more than simply memorizing a poem. It's important to also learn the meaning of the poem and to deliver it in a way that's understandable and interesting to the listener. Follow these steps for tips on how you can.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Learning the Poem

1. Understand the poem. All poems have a literal meaning. Often, they also have a figurative meaning. You can try to analyze the poem yourself; but it's probably far easier to read what others have said about it. From published criticisms you can learn about things such as themes, symbolism and voice. It's also helpful to learn about the poet and what he or she was doing at the time the poem was written.

2. Memorize the poem. Most poems have a meter and rhyme scheme that make them easy to memorize.

3. Reformat the poem. Once you've learned all the lines of the poem, you'll want to abandon the habit of progressing line by line and instead put the phrases together in a more natural way. Learn the poem again without relying on the sing-song rhythm that helped you initially memorize it. It may help to write the poem down as if it were prose.

Reciting the Poem

1. Stand up straight and speak from your diaphragm. Remember to project your voice to the back of the audience. If you have a high-pitched voice, try using a deeper tone for the recitation.

2. Slow down. The more you rush through your recitation, the less enjoyable it will be for your audience. Your listeners don't have the advantage of having the written text in front of them, so you'll have to give them time to absorb what they hear.

3. Avoid eye contact. Unlike most other public speaking situations, when reciting poetry you want to seem to be lost in imagination. Look just over the heads of your listeners.

4. Use drama. Vary your pitch and volume. Gesture. Pause for dramatic effect. You'll need to be expressive if you want your audience to be moved by your recitation. The bigger your audience, the bigger that expression will have to be.

Tips & Warnings

• Have a friend sit in the front row with the text of your poem. If you have a lapse in memory, your friend can quietly remind you.

• If a critical analysis of the poem you're reciting doesn't accompany the text, visit your local library and ask for help.