Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Tips for Reading a Poem Out Loud


A veteran of the educational field, Adjua Starks participates in various artistic endeavors. As well as writing poetry, Adjua Starks has recited it for audiences.

Reciting poetry out loud for a group of people comes with special challenges. In addition to conveying the emotion of the poem, you need to perform the piece so that the audience understands the words and their intended meaning. Keeping a number of tips in mind can help you make your recitation more impactful.

For instance, watch the speed at which you read the piece. Don’t go too quickly or slowly, and put pauses where they naturally fit as part of the poem’s flow, rather than wherever a line break appears in the text. This helps the reading sound smooth and easy to listen to, rather than forced or overly dramatic in style. Similarly, pay attention to the rhythm you use. You want to avoid reciting in a sing-song style, a tip that holds particular importance for poems that rhyme.

Finally, pay attention to your tone and how you’re expressing the words. A monotone delivery won’t keep your audience’s attention, while putting too much emphasis on an emotional delivery comes across as overdramatic. Remember that the poem should more or less speak for itself.

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