TRY THIS TOMORROW – HELPING STUDENTS UNLOCK POETRY
Start With This Shared Text:
Tomorrow, begin by reading the introduction How to Read a Poem from The Poetry Pharmacy (found at the end of this post). William Sieghart offers practical, empathetic advice for engaging with poetry, encouraging readers to slow down, read aloud, and revisit poems over time.
What to Do Next:
- Model the Method:
Choose a poem (visit the poetry round-up for ideas). Read it aloud to the class, demonstrating Sieghart’s advice to “perform it properly.” Share what you notice about the rhythm, the sound of the words, or any emotions that arise. - Invite Students to Explore:
Give students time to read the same poem quietly to themselves. Encourage them to whisper it aloud if they feel comfortable, as Sieghart suggests. Pair them up to read it again with a partner, listening for changes in the sound or meaning when someone else reads it. - Reflect and Share:
After several readings, ask students to respond to one or more of these questions:- What line or word stands out to you most, and why?
- How does the poem make you feel? What does it remind you of?
- What did you notice on the second or third reading that you didn’t see at first?
Share responses as a class to highlight the multiple layers and interpretations of the poem.
- Plant the Seed for Repetition:
Challenge students to “live with” the poem for the week. Encourage them to reread it at home. Ask them to jot down notes about how their understanding or feelings evolve with each reading.
- Student Choice:
We often listen to the same song on repeat, finding something new to love or relate to with each play. Offer students the chance to choose their own “poem on repeat.” Ask them to live with their chosen poem/lyrics for a week, revisiting it daily.
Afterward, encourage them to share:
- How did your relationship with the poem/lyrics change?
- Did it remind you of anything in your life, or help you see something differently?
- What line or phrase stayed with you, and why?
Why This Approach Matters:
Sieghart’s approach aligns with what we know about making poetry accessible: slowing down, engaging repeatedly, and allowing personal interpretation to emerge. It creates a low-pressure environment for exploration while honoring the layered beauty of poems. Tomorrow, try it out—give your students the tools to read poetry in a way that feels meaningful, not intimidating.
| How to Read a Poem
*from Poetry Pharmacy: Tried and True Prescriptions for the Heart, Mind and Soul by William Sieghart People are always telling me that they worry about their ability to read a poem. They don’t really know how to. It’s almost as though when they’re faced with a poem they’re instantly intimidated, even though of course they can read and write like the best of us. When I’m asked for tips, I always give the same advice. Don’t read the poem like you would a newspaper or a novel. Read it almost like a prayer. Say it aloud in your head as if you’re speaking it to somebody else – somebody interested, who makes you want to perform it properly. Or, of course, read it truly out loud if you want to, and if you’re not on the bus. Either way, it’s the reading aloud that will allow you to properly hear it; that will make you understand the rhythms, cadences and musicality of the words and phrases. When people tell me they don’t understand poetry, I have another recommendation. I tell them to read the same poem night after night. Keep it by your bed, and read it before you switch out the lights. Read it five nights in a row, and you’ll find you discover a totally new flavour and feeling from it every time. How you experience a poem depends on your own inner rhythms: what you’ve been through and what your mood is that day. But more than that, a really good poem is layered. It uncovers itself bit by bit by bit, never finished but always rewarding. That’s why the joy of a really concise and brilliant poem is that you get more out of it every time. Read the poems in this book however you like. Keep them in your desk drawer for when you feel shaky, or memorize them so you always have them on hand. Read them in the bath until the pages are crinkled beyond repair. But however this book works for you, remember that no poem deserves only a single visit. Come back, try again, approach them in a new frame of mind or with a new openness. If you persevere, you may be surprised at how many new friends you make. |