I’m one of the judges in a “Poetry Out Loud” competition tomorrow afternoon. I regularly assign recitations in my literature classes, and resources like this may help students from stressing out, since the site is full of well-phrased dos and dont’s for reciting poetry.

Please keep in mind that there is no definitive recitation or interpretation of any one poem. While these videos serve as examples of poems that were recited well, each student will draw on their own experiences to create a unique interpretation. For this reason, it is so important that students find poems that speak to them individually; such connections will be apparent in their recitations.

Keys

Level of Difficulty

Dramatic Appropriateness

Jackson confidently tackles this poem’s philosophical musings on mortality. His gestures and body language help to guide the poem’s tonal shifts as he embodies the narrator’s internal struggle from frustration and angst to understanding and peace. Jackson illuminates this progression well through thoughtful pacing and intonation. –via Poetry Out Loud : Learning Recitation.