How To-25: "How to Read Poetry out Loud"

How to Read Poetry out Loud

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"A word is dead/
When it is said,/
Some say./
I say/
It just begins to live/
That day."- Emily Dickinson
It's a safe bet that, if you like the arts or take English or writing classes, you'll be called upon to recite or read a poem. This guide will aid you in doing just that.

Steps

1. In the days (or even just minutes, in some classes) leading up to the recitation or reading, practice. First, read the poem and quiz yourself on it until you know it by heart. Practice it as often as you can.
   
2. Prepare yourself for the actual presentation. Drink a glass of water before hand to moisten your throat for the reading. If you have a fear of public speaking, try breathing exercises to calm yourself. Practice once or twice before you make your presentation. Make sure you can recite your poem perfectly.
   
3. Recite or read the poem. Don't read like a robot, put emotion into your project! Depending on the situation, you can glitz it up and use inflection or movement to make a point.
   
4. After you're done, get another sip or two of water, and calm down. It's over, you did great. If you think you didn't perform well, you have more motivation for next time. But it's nothing to stress about any longer.

Tips

• Don't think of it as just something for a show or project, think of it was a future conversation piece or a trick for calming babies.
  
• Make sure you know where the breaks and punctuation are in the poem. Also make sure you know how to read it. Is is sing-song or gravely serious?

Warnings

• This isn't a guide to help stage fright. This isn't for writing poetry. This is simply a guide on how to read it properly.
  
• Don't read like a robot! Nothing messes up a great poem like someone reading it like they've never practiced or never use emotion.

Related wikiHows

• How to Become Inspired to Write Poetry
  
• How to Master the Basics of Poetry
  
• How to Write Emotional Poetry
  
• How to Be a Poet

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