The Presentation of Poetry

I have been sharing some of my poems here. And last week I started posting an introduction to poetry from my book, I AM, Poetic Reflections through the Gospel of John to help some of you enjoy it more. This segment is on how to read poetry.

Reading poetry is something like storytelling, which was more highly valued in other generations. In our time the art of storytelling has been replaced by visual media. I love drama, and videos are not innately bad. But their pervasiveness in our lives, and the lack of other experience has lost for many the pleasure of hearing a story or reading a stirring poem. And like storytelling, the drama, tone of voice, eye contact and pregnant pauses make poetry happen. 

Some of you are preachers or teachers who will use these verses or snatches from them in sermons and lessons. Don’t simply read them cold. Read them over and over aloud until your very being takes on the force and nuance of the words. You want your hearers to squirm when you read a line like “He scratched His finger in the dirt of their pride.” They ought to shudder as Pilate asks, “What is truth, with a sneer in his heart.” You want them to tremble at “A voice from heaven thundering in their hearts.” And even when you are reading alone, poems call for dramatic expression to open your heart to their influence.

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