Poetry Out Loud is an annual contest sponsored by The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. The competition encourages high school students to memorize and recite various types of poetry. This is the 7th year Madison High School has held a school-wide competition, and the Madison Dodger Online (MDO) was fortunate enough to sit down with this year’s winner, junior Elizabeth Turnbull.
MDO: Why did you decide to do Poetry Out Loud this year?
ET: I always thought Poetry Out Loud was cool. I didn’t attend Madison my freshman year, so I didn’t really know about it. I was also motivated to do it because Mrs. Bergen offered extra credit to our class. Mostly it was because I have always liked acting–and Poetry Out Loud is kind of similar, but not as dramatized.
MDO: Which poems did you read? How did you select them?
ET: The first poem I read was “Abandoned Farmhouse” by Ted Kooser. I watched Rachel Alvey [class of 2012] read it last year. I really the way she recited it and I thought it was just a really great poem. The second poem was “Every Single Day” by John Straley. I thought this poem was kind of lovey-dovey and cute but it wasn’t too hard. I really liked the meaning.
MDO: Have you selected your new poems for the regionals? What are they and why did you select them?
ET: I’m going to recite the same two poems for regionals because I really liked them. I still need to pick out a third one from before the twentieth century. Right now I haven’t completely decided which one I’m going to read. I’m trying to decide between “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold and “Ode” by Arthur O’Shaughnessy. Mrs. Bergen is going to help me select one. “Ode” has a nice beat to it. I think they are both interesting and they’re really different from my first two poems. I think it’s nice to have some variety.
MD: Are these poems (“Ode” and “Dover Beach”) harder to read because they are pre-twentieth century?
ET: It is kind of harder to read these because the message is more in the words. It’s harder to convey the message. In my first two poems the message was more plain and simple, but in the older ones the meaning is hidden, so you have to do a little more when you’re reciting.
MDO: What is the hardest part about POL for you? Your favorite part?
ET: I’m really shy in front of a lot of people, so I think that was the hardest part for me. Once I’m up there though, I’m fine. I think my favorite part is after I’ve gotten started, just reading the poem and knowing it’s okay.
MDO: Do you have trouble with memorization?
ET: I actually don’t have that much trouble with memorization because this [Poetry Out Loud] is something I like doing, so I take time to do it. I had the poems I read for the competition perfectly memorized because I really liked them. It was easier than I thought it would be.
MDO: Are you going to compete next year?
ET: I definitely want to compete again! It’s something I really like to do.
MDO: Thank you for taking your time to interview with the Madison Dodger Online. Good luck at regionals!
Check out the poems mentioned in this interview!
“Abandoned Farmhouse” by Ted Kooser: http://poetryoutloud.org/poem/237648
“Every Single Day” by John Straley: http://poetryoutloud.org/poem/239706
“Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold: http://poetryoutloud.org/poem/172844
“Ode” by Arthur O’Shaughnessy: http://poetryoutloud.org/poem/242554
Read more about Poetry Out Loud: www.poetryoutloud.org