Performing your Poem

Congratulations!  So many of you have already memorized your entire poem.  WOW!  I am in awe and so impressed by your ability to learn your poems.  As you all know,  I am still struggling to learn more than the first stanza of mine!  Now you need to start learning how to "perform" your poem.  How will you say your poem outloud?  What words will your stress?  How should your stand?  Where should you pause, speak louder?  How to you show the meaning of the poem in the way you recite it?  To help you out, we will start watching students perform their poems in the Poetry Outloud Contest.
Click here to watch the performances.  Good luck!
 

Tips for Performing your Poem

5 Tips for Performing Poetry 

1. Score your Poem-Go through and highlight words you might want to emphasis, speed up, pause or slow down for effect. Make choices that are natural for the poem.
2. Find your pace-A poem is a little story. Be sure your audience understands the entire story. Be careful about how to handle line breaks. Save pauses for where you see punctuation.
3. Use good diction-this mean clear pronunciation of the words. Every word is important!
4. Use natural movement—This is probably the area people have most trouble with. Keep it simple and natural! Let the poem inform your movement.
5. Be natural and have fun! Have fun practicing your poem until it becomes second nature!

 Adapted from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cca7SRzsbBw