September Memorize Poetry Month

by deborah on August 5, 2007

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Since there’s April Poetry Month, I hereby declare September to be “Memorize Poetry” month. You don’t even have to memorize all the poems in the world — only four.

One poem per week…how difficult can that be? Here are rules:

1. One poem can be shorter than 10 lines. Ideally, the others should be longer than 10 lines.

Only one rule and four poems in month…easy, aye?

If you’re in, let me know in the comments.

Towards the beginning of September, we can all share the titles we want to memorize. Perhaps we’ll discover some poems we’ve not read before.

If you’re super high tech, you can even record yourself and post it to your blog or web site — or send it to me to post if you have no blog or web site.

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{ 4 trackbacks }

The Salt-Box :: September as Memorize Poetry Month
August 7, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Sherry Chandler » September Memorize Poetry Month
August 20, 2007 at 5:40 am
Goodbye August and Hello September » Deborah Ager + 32 Poems Poetry Magazine
September 4, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes » Deborah Ager + 32 Poems Poetry Magazine
October 10, 2007 at 6:33 am

{ 13 comments }

Peter P August 5, 2007 at 11:27 pm

This is a great idea.
I am in.

Sally Molini August 6, 2007 at 1:27 am

Can we count parts of some of Shakespeare’s plays? For the last few days I’ve been memorizing the opening lines (Duke Orsino’s) of Twelfth Night, planned to do others. Feels good.

Robin Reagler August 6, 2007 at 10:36 am

Cool idea. I am tempted….

Michael Gushue August 6, 2007 at 11:18 am

I love this idea! I was at a writer’s retreat thingie a month ago and everyone could reel off stanza after stanza, while I had nothing. I surprised they didn’t shun me. Please count me in!

deborah August 6, 2007 at 12:44 pm

Sally, I see no reason why we can’t include Shakespeare plays. After all, we’re making up the rules!

Jeff Newberry August 6, 2007 at 5:48 pm

Right now, I can do Tennyson’s “Crossing the Bar” and about a quarter of his “Ulysses.” Like Steve S., I can do “This Be the Verse,” but I think I’ll try “Verse De Societe” (Larkin) and a couple of others.

What a great idea!

David August 6, 2007 at 7:57 pm

I guess already-memorized work doesn’t count toward the goal? Eh, I’m in anyway.

deborah August 6, 2007 at 10:53 pm

David,
You are correct. We must all memorize something new to make it a challenge.

Deb

Jessy August 7, 2007 at 10:52 am

I’ll do it! A worthy use of time, I’d say. I haven’t memorized a poem in about 15 years. Have you ever heard Dana Gioia read? He recites! He’s memorized many of his own poems. I’m not going to try that.

Michael Gushue August 8, 2007 at 9:12 pm

I think one of them has to be one of Shakespeare’s sonnets. What y’all think? Which one?

deborah August 8, 2007 at 9:57 pm

Michael, That sounds like a good idea to me. I’ll make that a suggestion, though, instead of a requirement. =)

Pamela August 14, 2007 at 7:20 am

I’m in. (I like the Shakespeare sonnet suggestion,too). Thanks.

Louise Crawford September 11, 2007 at 10:00 am

I’m in. I’m starting with a Shakespeare sonnet or a Emily Dickinson I think. Louise

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