How to Read Your Poetry Aloud, Or Not: A No Pressure Guide.

Poetry is visual, literary, lyrical and can be heard inside of your head or you can work towards reading it to others.

I have a confession. I am a poet who rarely reads her poetry aloud. In my head, yes. To myself, perhaps. But to other people? I am too shy for that! I am practically petrified.

Also, my work is more Emily Dickinson locked in her room scribbling her thoughts in silence and less bad-ass poetry slam on the stage in booming confident voice.

And I think that is okay. For now.

Maybe one day I will do an Emily Dickinson poetry slam combo. A quiet and short poetry reading. In a very introverted space.

But, maybe I won’t. I feel very strongly about poetry as a silent act that jumps from mind to mind. I read poetry in silence and I hear it in my head with vivid clarity. Sometimes hearing a poet read their poetry might even — gasp! — for me, take from the power of their work. Because I see the visual of their poem and then I take it in.

Poetry is an art of words that are in form. It is as visual as it is literary. But I digress, my purpose here was to confess. Because it has been on my mind lately. What if I took that next step, for just a bit? What if I read my work aloud?

My dream might just be to host a poetry salon in house. In my house. Invite a few poets. Keep it very informal. And share. Or start to share. Or pass each other’s poetry around and read it silently to each other.

These are very nice ideas and I like them.

Valuing Poetry, Valuing Poets

I went to the bookstore yesterday and the poetry section is so tiny and yet, still so intimidating. How did these people do it? There are the classics, we know how they did it. But the modern poets. They have books? For sale? That we have to buy? Amazing.

Poetry is this weird and beautiful beast. It is best when it is free. It is best when it is easy to grab and hold. But also, poets are creatures who are sensitive and poor. So having a book — even a chapbook — out there in the world is such a beautiful dream. Not a get rich scheme, take note, but a beautiful dream. And in this society having a book, a poem in a journal or publication, a paycheck at times, is a sign that we are valued, and that our field is valued.

I feel that it is one of my higher callings in life to flip the script on things and get poetry valued by this culture in a way that gets poets paid and still allows for poetry to be for the masses in ways that make days better, inspire social change, and encourage woke values. Jenny Justice, Socialist Poet: from each according to our ability to poet, to each according to their need for poetry.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that many poets, many writers, are also introverts. Also potentially, gasp!, shy. I am going to make it a mini-goal, a mini-public goal now, to perhaps try to get out there and do something that pushes me out of some of this anxiety over reading my own work aloud in a public space.

Potential Foot in the Water Ideas for Reading Your — My? — Our? — Poetry Aloud

So how can I get there? First, writing. Writing more. Writing all of the time. Trusting my writing. Trusting my inner voice. Trusting my poet’s ear. That sounds like a medical condition, but I think it is not. It is part of the constant hearing of myself and my thoughts all day long but like poetry.

Next, plan things that are my style. I do want to have people over. I do want to restart the lovely concept of the literary salon. I have a few folks in this town who might show up. Who might listen to me read. Who might share their own work.

Also, an idea that might suit many poets who do not feel the slam voice inside of them, perhaps a bit of poetry cosplay? An Emily Dickinson night, a Sylvia Plath night (respectful not spooky, okay!), a modern poets night, etc. We can read the works of some of our favorites and then maybe a few pieces of our own to ease into it. And of course we can also dress up like our favorite poets! Yes please! Sounds delightful, right?

And then, finally, look for poetry readings and open mics in town. Go check them out with a friend first. See who is up there. See what they are doing. And know that usually, the case is, it is not that overly amazing and not that intimidating. It takes a lot for anyone to get up on a stage and put themselves out there for all to hear. Audiences are usually small and usually understanding when it comes to open mics.

Whatever we end up doing, the bottom line is that as long as we feel our spirits are put into our art, and that it is doing something out there to uplift people in good ways, we are doing poetry. We are being poets. I hear your words in my head, you hear my words in your head, and maybe, just maybe one day, we will hear each other’s words aloud. But no pressure.

Jenny Justice is a mom, Sociology instructor, and writer. You can follow her on Medium and at Jenny Justice, Writer. She has been recognized as a Top Writer on Medium in Poetry, Parenting, Reading, Education, Books, Racism, Feminism and Climate Change, so far. You can follow her poetry at Justice Poetic.

For more on writing poetry that sings, check out my girl Christina Ward 🌼: