How to Memorize a Poem

Memorizing a poem takes time and practice, but it is worth it to have a poem that you can recite on demand any time you like! Start by choosing a poem that is meaningful to you so that you are interested in memorizing it. Then, take time to develop your understanding of the poem and practice as much as possible! This will help to ensure that you will be well-prepared when it is time for you to recite the poem.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Choosing a Poem to Memorize

1. Choose a poem far in advance if you need to recite it. It takes time to memorize a poem, especially if you need to memorize a long poem. Start browsing poems and choose a poem to memorize as soon as possible. Peruse a poetry anthology, browse poems online, or choose a poem from a favorite poet if you have one!
   
2. Find a poem that is meaningful to you. Don’t just opt for a poem that seems like it will be easy to memorize. Memorizing a poem is much easier if you enjoy reading it and if the words seem significant to you. Make sure that you can connect with the poem you choose!^[1]
   
   • For example, you might connect with Emily Dickinson’s “There’s a certain Slant of light” because you are intrigued by what she describes.
   • Or, you might connect with Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” because you have experienced oppression in your life, yet managed to overcome it.
3. Choose a poem with a definite rhyme scheme and meter. It might be harder for you to memorize a free verse poem than a poem with a definitive rhyme and meter. This is because the rhyming and meter (rhythm) of a poem creates a framework that makes the details easier to remember, and this helps you to commit it to memory. The process is similar to how you remember a song. If you forget a word, the rhyme scheme and rhythm of the song reminds you what it is.^[2]
   
   • For example, the first stanza of Emily Dickinson’s “There’s a certain Slant of light” reads: “There’s a certain Slant of light,/ Winter Afternoons –/ That oppresses, like the Heft/ Of Cathedral Tunes” (1-4). The last words in the even lines rhyme: “Afternoons” and “Tunes.” There is also a noticeable rhythm to this poem when you read it out loud, which would help you to memorize it.
   • Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” also has a definite rhyme scheme and meter. The first stanza of her poem reads: “You may write me down in history/ With your bitter, twisted lies,/ You may trod me in the very dirt/ But still, like dust, I'll rise” (1-4). Again, the even lines rhyme and there is a noticeable rhythm when you read the lines out loud.

[Edit]Understanding and Practicing the Poem

1. Read the poem aloud several times. Once you have selected a poem to commit to memory, start by reading it out loud to yourself at least 3 times. Don’t worry about memorizing the poem just yet. Focus instead on how the words sound and what the poem is about.^[3]
   
   • For example, when reading Dickinson’s “There’s a certain Slant of light” you may notice an emphasis on a few different consonant sounds. You may also notice that she is talking about the way the light looks on winter afternoons and how that makes her feel.
   • In Angelou’s “Still I Rise,” you may note that she asks questions of the reader throughout the poem and repeats the title phrase several times as well. You may notice that she seems to be defiantly addressing someone who disapproves of her.
2. Look up words you don’t understand. Use a dictionary app or do an internet search to find the meaning of a word. Even if you are a little unsure of the word, it is best to look it up to be certain of its meaning. Knowing the exact definition of a word and any potential dual meanings can help you to better understand the action of the poem you have chosen. The definition of the word may also affect your inflection, or how you say the word.
   
   • For example, in Dickinson’s “There’s a certain Slant of light,” you might look up the word “imperial” and find that it has multiple meanings. It may mean something is part of an empire or that something is very large.^[4]
   • Likewise, in Angelou’s “Still I rise,” you may look up the word “beset,” and find that it has multiple meanings. It may mean that something (or someone) is studded, harassed, or assailed.^[5]
3. Underline the words that rhyme in the poem. The rhyming words in a poem will serve as a roadmap to you as you work to memorize the poem. Take a moment to underline these words in your poem. Read through them once you have underlined them all.^[6]
   
   • For example, the rhyming words in in Dickinson’s “There’s a certain Slant of light” include “Afternoons” and “Tunes,” “scar” and “are,” “Despair” and “Air,” and “Breath” and “Death.”
   • In Angelou’s “Still I rise” the rhyming words include “lies” and “rise,” “gloom” and “room,” “tides” and “rise,” “eyes” and “cries,” “hard” and “yard,” and more.
4. Set aside at least 10 minutes per day to practice reciting your poem. The key to successfully memorizing a poem is putting in the time! Commit to reading and reciting your poem for at least 10 minutes every day.^[7]
   
   • Read your poem a few times before you go to bed, and then see how much of it you can remember and recite when you wake up in the morning.
   • If you ride the bus or train to get to school or work, then use this time to practice. Read through your poem a few times and recite what you can from memory.
5. Keep a copy of the poem with you and read it often. Having the poem on you at all times will allow you to take advantage of spare moments when you can read it. Print a copy, or better yet, write it out and keep it in your pocket, purse, or wallet. Pull it out and read it any time you have a spare moment during the day.^[8]
   
   • For example, pull out the poem while you are waiting in line for lunch, riding the bus home from school or work, or waiting for your dinner to heat up in the microwave.
6. Write the poem by hand several times. Some people also find it helpful to write the poem out by hand. Try copying the poem with pen and paper several times. Each time you write the poem again, try to write a little more from memory.^[9]
   
   • The first time you write your poem, you will need to glance at the original often to get the next line or phrase.
   • The second or third time, you might find that you remember a line without looking at it.
   • After writing the poem 6 or 7 times, you may barely have to look at the original at all!
7. Watch videos and listen to recordings of your poem. Depending on the popularity of the poem you have chosen, you might be able to find several different recordings of people performing it. Listening to and watching other people’s recitations of the poem you are memorizing can help you to remember it and may also give you ideas for how you will perform it yourself.^[10]
   
   • Search online for audio recordings of your poem to hear how other people have recited it.
   • Watch Youtube videos of other people reciting your poem.

[Edit]Reciting the Poem

1. Practice reciting the poem to family and friends. Before you recite your poem in front of your intended audience, practice in front of people who will be supportive and encouraging. Ask family members and friends to listen to you recite your poem.^[11]
   
   • For example, ask a parent or guardian to listen to you recite your poem while they are making dinner or while riding in a car together.
   • Request that a friend listen to your poem during lunch or while taking a walk together.
2. Record yourself and play it back to find areas for improvement. Making an audio or video recording of yourself reading the poem may help you to improve your performance of the poem. Try using the video or audio recording app on your phone or laptop to make a recording after you have memorized the poem. Recite the poem from start to finish and then listen to or watch the recording to identify areas for improvement.^[12]
   
   • For example, you might find that you are not speaking clearly enough to understand the words or hear the rhyme scheme.
   • Or, you might notice that you rush through a certain part of the poem, and that makes it hard to understand what you are saying.
3. Speak clearly, audibly, and slowly! It is normal to feel a little nervous before you speak in front of people, so don’t worry if you do feel this way. However, you may be more likely to fall into bad public speaking habits if this is the case. When it is time for you to recite your poem, remind yourself to enunciate, speak up, and slow down.^[13]
   
   • Try taking a few deep breaths before you start reciting your poem. If you find yourself talking too fast, mumbling, or speaking quietly, pause for a moment, and take another deep breath before you continue.

[Edit]References

[Edit]Quick Summary

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xmvpXID70A&feature=youtu.be&t=131
2. ↑ https://www.poetryinvoice.com/competitions/tips/memorize-it
3. ↑ https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/article-memorizing-a-poem
4. ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imperial
5. ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beset
6. ↑ https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/article-memorizing-a-poem
7. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/26/opinion/sunday/memorize-poems-poetry-education.html
8. ↑ https://www.poetryoutloud.org/teaching-resources/teacher-preparation
9. ↑ https://www.poetryinvoice.com/competitions/tips/memorize-it
10. ↑ https://www.poetryoutloud.org/teaching-resources/teacher-preparation
11. ↑ https://www.poetryoutloud.org/teaching-resources/teacher-preparation
12. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSmr2lIlOT8&feature=youtu.be&t=39
13. ↑ https://www.poetryoutloud.org/teaching-resources/teacher-preparation