Preparation guide
How to prepare for Poetry Out Loud
Memorise and perform published poems, from a classroom contest all the way to a national final in Washington.
Some preparation needed · Only currently enrolled students in grades 9 to 12 are eligible, with an exception for 8th-grade students taking a 9th- to 12th-grade class.
Where the points actually are
The scoring rubric is published, and it is the whole preparation guide. Six criteria are scored, and accuracy is only one of them. Students who read the rubric and rehearse against it consistently outperform students who simply memorise well.
Topic breakdown
- 01Poem selection
- Choose from the official anthology something you genuinely understand and can sustain. A great poem you find opaque scores worse than a modest one you inhabit.
- 02Interpretation
- Judges score evidence of understanding. Know what every line means, including the ones you find difficult, because your delivery will show if you do not.
- 03Physical presence and voice
- Stillness, eye contact, pace, volume, articulation. Recorded rehearsal is the fastest way to improve all of these.
- 04Accuracy
- An accuracy judge follows the text. Dropped and substituted words cost points, so over-learn well past the point of comfort.
- 05Dramatic appropriateness
- The delivery should serve the poem. The most common failure is a performance more interesting than the text.
A study plan that works backwards from the date
- Autumn Read widely in the free official anthology and shortlist five poems. Read each aloud before choosing.
- Early winter Memorise the first poem completely, then start work on delivery. Record yourself weekly and watch it back, which almost nobody does.
- Before the school contest Rehearse in front of people who will be honest. Perform in a large room, since projection differs from a bedroom.
- After advancing Add the required additional poems immediately. Students who advance and then start their second poem are always short of time.
Tips that come from the format itself
- The official anthology and the judging rubric are both free online. Read the rubric first and choose poems with it in mind.
- Record every rehearsal. It is uncomfortable and it is the single fastest improvement available.
- Prepare all required poems from the beginning rather than waiting to advance.
- Watch past national finals, which are published free. They calibrate how restrained the winning style usually is.
Practice resources
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Poetry Out Loud official site
The full anthology, the judging rubric, state contacts and past finals video.
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Official poem anthology
Searchable by length, era and theme. The complete set of eligible poems.
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Evaluation criteria and rubric
The published scoring rubric. Read this before choosing a poem.
Past papers and official materials
- Past national finals performances
Video of past finalists published free, the clearest guide to the expected style.
Skills this builds
- Memorisation
- Vocal control and pacing
- Interpretation of poetry
- Stage presence
- Handling nerves