Ten tips for reading your poems out loud
I've spent much of the day trying to get some test podcasts up and running - so near and yet so far! Thanks due to K- who has explained the process to me and generally helped me - almost there on a number of platforms. But I seemed to be lost in a real quagmire of technical incompetence earlier on, so decided to use the time more wisely and recorded a number of my own poems to use as tests. I can't ignore the performance poetry element of a forthcoming module either: seeing myself much more of a page than a performance poet it's been interesting reading examples, essays, rationales.
So I'm not quite there on a number of 'spoken word' levels...yet. Meanwhile here are ten top tips for reading poems aloud, which are at least a start. I wrote them a few years ago, although I've never been as confident as they sound. But that's the duty of a teacher I suppose; to be confident in order to enable as well as enlighten. So then:
Ten Tips for Reading Your Poetry Aloud(from one who does not always practise what she preaches)
1. PRACTISE. At home, in front of willing family and friends. If you have a reading coming up, practise in front of a friend, and time the reading. Visualise the size of the audience too. If you can bear to - record yourself. I’ve been doing this recently. After the initial strangeness, it’s really not so bad.
2. When reading, nerves/excitement will make you speed up. Go slower than usual. A pause, between poems or to emphasise a line break or important phrase can also be remarkably effective. Silence and pauses are part of poetry. Don’t rush.
3. Project your voice to the back of the room; as if you are speaking to someone in the back row. From time to time look up and check you are projecting to the back of the room.
4. Have a legible copy of your poems to read from, even if you know them off by heart. Resist the temptation to scribble sudden alterations down - they will only confuse you at the point of delivery. Believe me.
5. Consider whether giving a brief introduction to the theme of your poems individually or as a group would make them more accessible or enjoyable for the audience. Some poets go to great lengths to ‘set the scene’ for their poems. I would tend to err on the side of caution - a sentence or two at the most.
6. Try not to worry about how your work will be received. Most audiences - especially at local events - are generous and genuinely sympathetic listeners. Look them in the eye and smile!
7. Limit alcohol intake. Have it afterwards!
8. Remember that spoken poetry is much more of a momentary pleasure then the written kind - people will not remember your writing word for word, but may remember phrases and images delivered with confidence.
9. Consider the order of the poems you want to read. It is usually nice to end with a ‘crowd pleaser’, something accessible and humorous. Poets don’t normally get called for encores, so end your reading with a flourish.
10. Enjoy it…! In retrospect, it’s usually a really good experience…!
So I'm not quite there on a number of 'spoken word' levels...yet. Meanwhile here are ten top tips for reading poems aloud, which are at least a start. I wrote them a few years ago, although I've never been as confident as they sound. But that's the duty of a teacher I suppose; to be confident in order to enable as well as enlighten. So then:
Ten Tips for Reading Your Poetry Aloud(from one who does not always practise what she preaches)
1. PRACTISE. At home, in front of willing family and friends. If you have a reading coming up, practise in front of a friend, and time the reading. Visualise the size of the audience too. If you can bear to - record yourself. I’ve been doing this recently. After the initial strangeness, it’s really not so bad.
2. When reading, nerves/excitement will make you speed up. Go slower than usual. A pause, between poems or to emphasise a line break or important phrase can also be remarkably effective. Silence and pauses are part of poetry. Don’t rush.
3. Project your voice to the back of the room; as if you are speaking to someone in the back row. From time to time look up and check you are projecting to the back of the room.
4. Have a legible copy of your poems to read from, even if you know them off by heart. Resist the temptation to scribble sudden alterations down - they will only confuse you at the point of delivery. Believe me.
5. Consider whether giving a brief introduction to the theme of your poems individually or as a group would make them more accessible or enjoyable for the audience. Some poets go to great lengths to ‘set the scene’ for their poems. I would tend to err on the side of caution - a sentence or two at the most.
6. Try not to worry about how your work will be received. Most audiences - especially at local events - are generous and genuinely sympathetic listeners. Look them in the eye and smile!
7. Limit alcohol intake. Have it afterwards!
8. Remember that spoken poetry is much more of a momentary pleasure then the written kind - people will not remember your writing word for word, but may remember phrases and images delivered with confidence.
9. Consider the order of the poems you want to read. It is usually nice to end with a ‘crowd pleaser’, something accessible and humorous. Poets don’t normally get called for encores, so end your reading with a flourish.
10. Enjoy it…! In retrospect, it’s usually a really good experience…!
Comments
Post a Comment