Poetry lays asleep in books until a reader picks up the book, opens the page and voices the poet’s words. This is the magic moment when the poet comes to life, filling the air with poetic power and warmth.
While many people read poetry silently to themselves, reading aloud is the best way to realize and release the full energy of the poem. This can be done alone, sitting in the garden or on the sofa. To animate the poem completely, it is best to have an audience who receives the poetry. Somehow, having an audience, even if it’s only one person, helps us wake up the sleeping words and breathe oxygen deep into the lungs of the poem.
The following techniques can be used at home, in the classroom or for public recital, anywhere you can bring poetry back to life.
The five techniques include, mind, body, voice, spirit and eyes.
Preparing your Mind
To perform a poem, you must first have a clear visualization of the poem in your mind. As you read, imagine each image as it develops. Your visual image will automatically guide your voice towards the appropriate tone and pace.
The Poetic Body
It’s best to stand up while reciting poetry for others. One, this allows your lungs to expand fully, so you have the strength to project words out to the audience. Standing also challenges you to have the confidence to reveal your body and send a message through your body posture and movement. Sitting down, conversely, may cause you to hide yourself, limiting your ability to reveal the truth of the poem.
If you’re tense before your performance, you need to stretch out before reciting. Offstage, of course, you can touch your toes, stretch your arms high above your head. This expands your ribs and helps release tension throughout your body. Think of warming up for a poem the same way you warm up before playing tennis.
Voice Exercises
The voice is the most important part of the poetry performance. The voice needs to be well prepared, practiced and accurate. Practice breathing deeply before performing. While reading, keep your lungs as full as possible. Take time to take full breaths between lines and between stanzas. This helps to slow down the pace of the poem and gives the audience time to imagine each image and metaphor that you present.
In addition to the obvious need to know correct pronunciation and stress, it also helps to practice voice chants. This means to use the voice in a full range from loud to soft; high to low; fast to slow; various emotions from angry to sweet; plus emphasis on various consonants sounds such as /z/, /m/, /f/, etc.
Spirit of the Poem
By visualizing the poem as you read, you can imagine yourself going into the poem and becoming a part of it. This helps you to forget yourself in your body and concentrate more on your spiritual self. It helps to meditate before performing, to centre yourself, to forget your day to day problems, release your stress and relax your soul. Reading poetry with a fresh spirit will touch your audience more deeply.
Look into the Eyes
The audience will be looking into your eyes for truth and sincerity. Even if someone in the audience doesn’t understand all of your words, they will read your eyes and interpret what they see. For this reason, you need to maintain maximum eye contact with the audience. Deliver each line of poetry to some member of the audience, and avoid speaking into your paper. Look at the eyes of the audience, look into their eyes, read their response, and they will be transported into the poem with you.
Practice Techniques
Volume contests in pairs
Voice drills
Eye contact drills, in circle or pairs
Miming without words
Dancing a poem
Dramatize a poem
Audience
The best way to learn to perform is to have a real audience. Brothers and sisters are a good place to start, along with parents. Ask for support from your family. Even if they don’t understand the language or the poem, they can give you suggestions on how you stand, look and present. Accept all suggestions, even criticisms, to develop yourself and overcome all fear of audience.