Reading Poetry Aloud

Reading poetry out loud can be slightly intimidating.  Most of us do not feel  that we have the poetic gene; but when it comes to reading poetry, all you need is a voice and patience.

What makes poetry so scary?  The rhyming.  We do not see “normal” sentences in front of us.  It is like all our grammar classes were thrown out the window.  Poetry doesn’t have be that frightening if you realize that most poetry is just feelings put into words meant to evoke more feelings.

Before you open your mouth and attempt to read that first poem, you really need to be familiar with the stanzas.  We are not suggesting that you memorize or know it from your childhood.  In fact, choose one that you have never read.  Read the poem to yourself several times before attempting to read out loud.  Let’s rephrase that.  Read the poem out loud when you are by yourself.  That way you get to know what the poem is trying to say and will therefore be able to translate it appropriately.

Only after you understand the message of the poem can you now convey.  Keep in mind that when reading a poem, you should not rush.  Too many times, we race through the words and the listener is still trying to see if we are speaking English or not.  When reading anything out loud, especially poetry, you need to speak slowly so that the words sink in and the listener has time to react to them.

Remember to pause when there is a comma, semi-colon, or period.  If there is not one of these at the end of the line, you should still pause but not as long.  By doing this short pause you are emphasizing a word that is important in the rhythm and rhyming of the poem.  The slight pause draws the word out but does not break the sentence.  

Longer pauses need to occur at the end of stanzas, paragraphs.  This is to let the listener know that the topic is switching slightly.  

As you read out loud, keep in mind that only you are seeing the words written down.  You are attempting to communicate the message you see to your audience.  You recitation is bringing the poetic words to life.  Always remember to breath and enjoy reading your poetry.  It can be a very beautiful experience, both for reader and listener.