“Each man kills the thing he loves”
Gary Snapper rescues poetry from set text and exam culture.
“Felt in the blood, and felt along the heart”
Ed Reiss revisits Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey”.
“Those Winter Sundays”
Jean Sprackland shares her connection with a poem by Robert Hayden.
Almost by Accident: The Case of Hezekiah and the Messengers
Patrick Wildgust finds new ambassadors for an eighteenth century text.
Developing Intelligence through Learning by Heart
Antonia Pont investigates with reference to the koshas.
Discovering Sense through Sound
David Whitley examines sonnets by Clare and Browning.
From around the globe
A summary of recent poetry and recitation competitions outside England: Poetry Aloud (Ireland), Poetry Out Loud (US) and Poetry in Voice (Canada).
Heart and Rote
Robert Hull ponders the difference, by way of Shakespeare on the Mississippi.
Learning Lines
Jonathan Davidson recalls learning a poem by Peter Didsbury.
Memorizing Poems
Mario Petrucci goes through twelve portraits of a process.
Poetry by Heart 2013-14
Reflections and perspectives by Kaiti Soultana, Jane Bluett, Maura Dooley, Glyn Maxwell and Morag Styles.
Poetry Recitation
Debbie Pullinger provides a summary of traditions, terms and conditions.
Reading Aloud and Performing
Amina Alyal surveys the impact on the motivation, confidence and understanding of English and Creative Writing students.
Starting a Conversation
Mike Dixon reports on writing the commentaries for Poetry by Heart.
The Lost Jewel in the Crown
Josephine Brady explores poetry memorization and recitation in the primary classroom.
The Old Man in the Attic
Alison Powell uses the Method of Loci for poetry memorization.
Why Memorize a Poem?
Catherine Robson provides some “refections in the dark”.