Poetry Out Loud Nat'ls in DC, April 28-29
I have a bone to pick with Poetry Out Loud.
Now don't get me wrong, I believe in the program, after all it: "helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage," but its emphasis is too heavily on the side of poetry as an oral art.
It takes patience, practice, creativity, and skill to craft a poem. It's not enough to read someone else's work and understand the tones and nuances, the pacing of line breaks, the themes, etc. That's just one half of the equation. Think of it in terms of always being a passenger in a car and never the driver. Most people learn how to follow directions and find places by driving themselves, not being the passenger. You learn by doing. You learn about what makes a good poem by writing poetry. Memorization and recitation, though each has their merits, don't go far enough.
What I'd like to see is a category added to the competition in which the participants have to write and recite one of their own poems. Perhaps one influenced by one of the pieces they choose to recite, either in subject, style, or form. I believe they should demonstrate being good poets in their own right, as well as good interpreters of those that inspire them.
That said, go see for yourself. The nationals take place at Lisner auditorium in DC April 28th and 29th.
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