{"id":1465,"date":"2013-05-17T06:30:45","date_gmt":"2013-05-17T13:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/?p=1465"},"modified":"2013-05-14T09:59:05","modified_gmt":"2013-05-14T16:59:05","slug":"reading-writing-and-reciting-poetry-bringing-back-lost-arts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/2013\/05\/17\/reading-writing-and-reciting-poetry-bringing-back-lost-arts\/","title":{"rendered":"Reading, Writing, and Reciting Poetry: Bringing Back Lost Arts!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Published with Permission
\nWritten by Maggie S. Hogan
\nwww.BrightIdeasPress.com<\/a><\/em>
\nwww.TOSMagazine.com<\/p>\n

Yes, your family can enjoy reading, writing, and reciting poetry. If you take the time to follow the suggestions in this article, you may find that poetry can become a glue that helps bind your family together. Really! Consider this: Funny poems will get the family laughing, thoughtful ones provide conversation starters, and Godly ones can unite a family in praise. Granted, not all children or teens are going to jump at the chance to sit down and recite poetry with Mom, Dad, and little brother, but persevere! Years later, grown siblings will look back and share laughs about poetry time . . . as they carefully preserve this tradition in their own families. Let’s look at the \u201cwhys\u201d and the \u201chows\u201d of cultivating this tradition in your family.<\/p>\n

Why Memorize Poetry?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Memorizing or \u201clearning by heart\u201d was an important educational element for most of history until the mid twentieth century when misguided educators decided that rote learning somehow dampened creativity and learning. On the contrary, the benefits to memorizing are numerous. Let\u2019s look at memorizing poetry specifically. Poetry has a rhythm, a sound, a music to it that gives us a gift of language awareness that we may otherwise miss. It heightens our sensitivity, our \u201cfeel\u201d of language. Interplay of melody and music occurs\u2014a combination of language and sound that broadens our experience with language. Our English improves as we absorb the natural rhyme and rhythm of a variety of well-written poems. Note: <\/em>This language exposure is especially important for children from low-literacy homes and those for whom English is not their native tongue. Susan Wise Bauer, in The Well-Educated Mind,<\/em> states that memorizing poetry \u201cbuilds into children\u2019s minds the ability to speak and write and read English. Memorizing poetry internalizes the rhythmic, beautiful patterns of the English language.\u201d<\/p>\n

To those who believe that memorization is a drudgery to be avoided at all cost, a sure-fire way to \u201ckill real<\/em> learning,\u201d we need only look back at all those who have gone before us who have not only memorized masterpieces but who have created masterpieces as well. Through the memorization of poetry and other great works, St. Augustine developed a phenomenal memory and a determined attention to detail, which is reflected in his Confessions<\/em>. As a young boy, Shakespeare learned (as did his peers) by memorization as well. Memorization does not dampen the desire to create; rather, it enlarges the mind by exposing it to the best of the past and frees it to build on what has already been created.<\/p>\n

Poetry gives children a language with which to articulate their thoughts, perceptions, and feelings. It can ignite their imaginations and transport them to other times and places. There is an \u201cAha!\u201d moment that comes when we recognize a truth, an experience, a description that someone else has expressed through poetic words and which expresses exactly what we have thought or felt or seen. There is a sweet comfort in knowing that someone somewhere has felt what you\u2019ve felt and can express it in a way that is meaningful and true.<\/p>\n

Poetry Memorization Tips\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Write the poem you want to memorize by hand. Write the stanzas on index cards or sticky-notes. Post them in conspicuous places.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Memorize the poem with a partner.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Read the poem aloud into a recorder. Play it in the car, at bedtime, at mealtimes.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Say the poem aloud several times<\/em> throughout the day.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Say the poem aloud every day.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 If the poem has a good rhythm or rhyme scheme, recite it by using your body:<\/p>\n

\u2014Stomp your feet<\/p>\n

\u2014Clap your hands<\/p>\n

\u2014Jump in time<\/p>\n

\u2014Bounce a ball in time with the words<\/p>\n

\u2022 Draw a picture to illustrate the poem.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Set the poem to music and sing it.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Consistently review previously memorized material.<\/p>\n

Why Recite Poetry?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The very best way to dig into poetry is to read it aloud. Trust me, this is important. There are exceptions; some poetry is much more visual than auditory, such as \u201cshape\u201d poems or works by E. E. Cummings. Most poems, though, are meant to be spoken. Here are eight simple steps to improving your recitation skills.<\/p>\n

Poetry Recitation Tips<\/em><\/p>\n

1. Preparedness<\/p>\n

\u2022 Practice shows!<\/p>\n

\u2022 Be completely prepared and well rehearsed.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Know what the words of the poem mean.<\/p>\n

2. Posture<\/p>\n

\u2022 Stand up straight.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Look relaxed and confident (even if you don\u2019t feel that way).<\/p>\n

3. Eye Contact<\/p>\n

\u2022 Establish eye contact right away with the audience.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Be sure to look at them as much as you can during the presentation.<\/p>\n

4. Pitch<\/p>\n

\u2022 Use your voice pitch (both high and low tones) to convey emotions as appropriate.<\/p>\n

5. Pauses<\/p>\n

\u2022 Use pauses to improve the meaning and\/or dramatic impact\u00a0of the piece.<\/p>\n

6. Diction<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Speak clearly and distinctly.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Practice any words you have trouble pronouncing so you do not stumble over them.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Know what the words mean.<\/p>\n

7. Volume<\/p>\n

\u2022 Speak loudly enough to be heard by all audience members during the entire presentation.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Be sure not to let your voice trail off at the end of lines or at the conclusion of the piece.<\/p>\n

8. Enthusiasm<\/p>\n

\u2022 Your facial expressions and body language should generate a strong interest and enthusiasm about the topic.<\/p>\n

\u2022 If you look bored, your audience certainly will be.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Have fun!<\/p>\n

Why Write Poetry?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are numerous good reasons to write poetry. Here are just a few of them. You will:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Better appreciate poetry when you have an understanding of what goes into creating it.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Increase your vocabulary by looking for just the right words to use.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Look at the natural world with a more observant eye.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Delight in using words in new, creative ways.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Possibly find that you are a natural poet!<\/p>\n

Not everyone is a naturally gifted writer, and not everyone wishes to write poetry.\u00a0 However, acrostics, bio-poems, and \u201cshape poems\u201d are all appealing, easy-to-learn forms. Gather everyone around the table and give these a try!<\/p>\n

Tips for Writing Poetry<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 Use interesting words.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Use a variety of words.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Use words with strong images.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Have a thesaurus and dictionary on hand.<\/p>\n

The Acrostic Poem<\/p>\n

The word acrostic <\/em>comes from the Greek words acros<\/em> (\u201coutermost\u201d) and stichos<\/em> (\u201cline of poetry\u201d). This is a form of poetry in which the first letters of the lines, read downwards, form a word or phrase. For example, in the following short acrostic, the vertical word is CAT<\/em>.<\/p>\n

C<\/em><\/strong>ool kitty<\/em><\/p>\n

A<\/em><\/strong>lways jumping, pouncing, playing<\/em><\/p>\n

T<\/em><\/strong>akes naps in the sun.<\/em><\/p>\n

Did you know that the acrostic style of poetry originated in ancient times and was commonly used in the Psalms of the Bible? Psalm 119 is not only the longest chapter in Scripture, but it is also the longest acrostic in the Bible, using every letter of the Hebrew alphabet. (Unfortunately, the lines do not translate into English as acrostics.)<\/p>\n

First, write your name (first, middle, last, or nickname) down the left-hand side a piece of paper. Your chosen name must be at least five letters long. Here is an example:<\/p>\n

M<\/p>\n

A<\/p>\n

G<\/p>\n

G<\/p>\n

I<\/p>\n

E<\/p>\n

Now, find three or four words that begin with each letter of your name and which describe you. Here is my example:<\/p>\n

M<\/em><\/strong>essy, moody, mischievous, melancholy<\/em><\/p>\n

A<\/em><\/strong>lways active, always adventurous.<\/em><\/p>\n

G<\/em><\/strong>regarious, gifted, gabby, <\/em><\/p>\n

G<\/em><\/strong>enerous and genuinely germophobic.<\/em><\/p>\n

I<\/em><\/strong>lluminated, idealist, idiosyncratic.<\/em><\/p>\n

E<\/em><\/strong>asily distracted, and that\u2019s the End.<\/em><\/p>\n

Try to avoid selecting the simplest words or the words that first come to mind. Take time to look for options in the thesaurus and dictionary. Think about what you really want to say. It\u2019s also amusing to switch this one up a bit by writing it in the negative:<\/p>\n

“Maggie Is Not\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Malicious, malevolent, morose . . . etc.<\/em><\/p>\n

If you work carefully on word choice, you probably will get the idea of how poets must work hard to find just the right words to express their thoughts. Consider this: In these acrostics, we did not attempt to add rhyme or rhythm, stanzas, alliteration, metaphors, or any number of poetic devices. Just imagine now how much a writer might need to consider while crafting a more complicated poem!<\/p>\n

The Biography Poem<\/p>\n

Another form of poetry is often called either a biography or a \u201cWho Am I?\u201d poem. Many different formulas exist; you can even make up your own. Think of it as playing the word game called Mad Libs, except the end result will be a poem.<\/p>\n

My Biography Poem<\/em> (Give this poem your own title.)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>Line 1: Your first name<\/em><\/p>\n

Line 2: Four words that describe you<\/em><\/p>\n

Line 3: Child of . . . <\/em><\/p>\n

Line 4: Builder of . . . <\/em><\/p>\n

Line 5: Who dreams . . . <\/em><\/p>\n

Line 6: Who needs . . .<\/em><\/p>\n

Line 7: Who gives . . . <\/em><\/p>\n

Line 8: Who wonders . . . <\/em><\/p>\n

Line 9: Who fears . . . <\/em><\/p>\n

Line 10: Who wants to see . . . <\/em><\/p>\n

Line 11: Resident of (your city) <\/em><\/p>\n

Line 12: Another name to describe yourself<\/em><\/p>\n

The Diamante<\/p>\n

Another appealing form of poetry is the diamante. It takes its name from the Italian word for diamond<\/em> and is written in a diamond shape. It doesn\u2019t need to rhyme, but each line does have certain requirements, as follows:<\/p>\n

Line 1: Title topic (noun)<\/em><\/p>\n

Line 2: Two adjectives related to line 1<\/em><\/p>\n

Line 3: Three action words related to line 1<\/em><\/p>\n

Line 4: A four-word phrase about either line 1 or 7 or two words about line 1 and two words about line 7 <\/em><\/p>\n

Line 5: Three action words related to line 7<\/em><\/p>\n

Line 6: Two adjectives related to line 7<\/em><\/p>\n

Line 7: \u201cOpposite\u201d of line 1<\/em><\/p>\n

The original diamante form requires that the last line be a word that is the opposite of the first line. The lines in between should describe either the starting word or its opposite. For example, I use cats and dogs as my opposites in my poem titled \u201cFelines and Canines\u201d:<\/p>\n

Cats
\n<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Curious, playful
\n<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Pouncing, clawing, scratching
\n<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Claws, teeth, paws, tails
\n<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Barking, running, licking
\n<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Friendly, frisky
\n<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Dogs<\/em><\/p>\n

Your shape should look like this:<\/p>\n

__________ (line 1)<\/p>\n

____________\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ____________\u00a0 (line 2)<\/p>\n

____________\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ____________\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ____________ (line 3)<\/p>\n

_________\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 __________\u00a0 __________\u00a0 ________ (line 4)<\/p>\n

____________\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ____________\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ____________ (line 5)<\/p>\n

____________\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ____________ (line 6)<\/p>\n

____________ (line 7)<\/p>\n

\u00a0Reclaim Poetry!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Memorizing, writing, and reciting poetry are in danger of becoming lost arts. In past generations, poetry recitals were a popular form of recreation. Now, with the popularity of television and the Internet, we rely far less on our ability to amuse ourselves; instead, we expect others to keep us amused. Let\u2019s reclaim this fabulous form of social and intellectual entertainment!<\/p>\n

Maggie Hogan is an author and publisher who is easily distracted by all things book-related. She lives in <\/em>Delaware<\/em> with her husband, Bob, just minutes away from their three precious granddaughters.<\/em> The barn on their property houses Bright Ideas Press, dedicated to bringing practical, Christ-centered materials to the homeschool market. www.BrightIdeasPress.com<\/a>.<\/em> She is the co-author of <\/em>A Young Scholar\u2019s Guide to Composers and the upcoming <\/em>Young Scholar\u2019s Guide to Poets and Poetry.<\/em><\/p>\n

Copyright 2012, used with permission. All rights reserved by author. Originally appeared in the November 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse\u00ae Magazine<\/em>, the family education magazine. Read the magazine free at www.TOSMagazine.com<\/a> or read it on the go and download the free apps at www.TOSApps.com<\/a> to read the magazine on your mobile devices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Published with Permission Written by Maggie S. Hogan www.BrightIdeasPress.com www.TOSMagazine.com Yes, your family can enjoy reading, writing, and reciting poetry. If you take the time to follow the suggestions in this article, you may find that poetry can become a glue that helps bind your family together. Really! Consider this: Funny poems will get the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-classroom-help","category-informative"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1465"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1470,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1465\/revisions\/1470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arkansashomeschool.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}