Cloudy Day Art #80 – Tips for Reading Poetry Aloud with Don from ClassicPoetryAloud.com

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Have you been looking for ways to effectively improve your performance when reading your poetry at an open mic? Or, have you wanted to submit an audio file of yourself reading or reciting a poem to an online website, but not happy with the recorded result? Well, this is the poetry podcast episode for you!

Don, the host of the poetry podcast “Classic Poetry Aloud“, shares his tips for reading poetry aloud. They include:

Be sure to give the poem the meaning you understand and feel.
If you feel something strongly, don’t be afraid to let that show.
Learn the importance of breath control
Diction – It’s crucial to hear the beginning and ending of each word
Read other people’s poetry aloud
Don’t be afraid of your own voice
Listen to actors reading poetry

Links mentioned:

Classic Poetry Aloud – Don’s Podcast
My Poetry Blog
Article on Poetry Podcasts (includes comments by me and other APP members)
Katie Haegele (author of article)
Joey Quinton

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I’d love to hear your tips for reading poetry aloud! Please comment below, e-mail, call in, or post in the forum.

karabo

Thanks for your inspiring words but we got to understand that people view and understand poetry in different ways and we have to respect their views thaks
karabo

I do understand youe advice and do appreciate it,I speak openly as a poet
Jennifer

Thank you for your podcast. Though I do not consider myself a poet, I have been told that I am okay. [I hate to truly highlight myself] I studied a lot of poetry in college for I was an English major and the tips offered here for reading poetry are so true. I found my writing voice in poetry studying a lot of Langston Hughes and Nikki Giovanni. Great poetry to read out loud and perform too! Great blog!
r_i_d

//I think we have to begin to draw a line between poetry and music.//

I don't know if we "need" that, but it certainly can be done, and for good reasons.

Too bad my Internet connection doesn't allow me to download sounds or videos (I'm on dial-up, in Armenia).

Nice blog!
Will Brown

*Julian, it is indeed a question of taste. I don't know if we need to draw a line between poetry and music, but I believe that in pieces where poetry and music is mixed that sometimes the music becomes more important to the listener.

It's a problem that is very familiar to a lot of commercial hip-hop -- you take away the music and the lyrics are absolutely ludicrous (pun intended).

Truthfully I'm not that familiar with "Dulce et Decorum Est", but I'm going to check it out after I post this.

*Joey, thanks for the comment and thanks for blogging about poetry!
Joey Quinton

Will...Wonderful podcast and I certainly enjoyed the kind words about my blog!
Julian in London

Very interesting podcast, personally I much prefer Don's style of reading poetry to the Slam Idol style. It's a question of taste but I think we have to begin to draw a line between poetry and music.
Once again thanks for such an interesting podcast, I also find Dulce et Decorum Est a very moving piece. Furthermore it is FANTASTIC to find poetry on a poetry podcast that is not contemporary.