June 24, 2025 • 12 mins
Sharing your poems aloud can feel intimidating, even though poetry is rooted in oral tradition. In this episode, host bridgette bianca offers practical tips for reading your work with confidence and clarity, along with heartfelt advice on how to connect with your voice and your audience on stage.
Visit thepoetrylab.com to find the Show Notes for this episode. The Poetry Lab Podcast is produced by Lori Walker and Danielle Mitchell. Hosted by Danielle Mitchell and Lori Walker, with special guest hosts bridgette bianca, Leonora Simonovis and Ravina Wadhwani.
Theme song: "Simply Upbeat" by Christian Telford, Kenneth Edward Belcher, and Saki Furuya.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
(00:00):
Before we wrote everything down, whether
hieroglyph or the notes app on our phones,
we have the oral tradition.
Stories, songs, poems, or speeches, sharing
aloud has always been a way for us to
connect.
So here are 10 tips
I like to keep in mind when performing.
Welcome to the Poetry Lab Podcast.
(00:27):
The Poetry Lab started 11 years ago to help
dedicated, self-taught, and formally
trained writers find a place in their
community to write,
read,
learn,
and collaborate.
We help writers tap into their craft with
radical self-compassion,
unlike anything you've ever seen in a
creative writing classroom before.
(00:49):
If you're a creative person trying to
establish a writing practice in the real world,
This podcast is designed to help you carve
out the time,
the courage,
and the inspiration to keep writing your
new shit.
Are you ready, poet?
Let's get into it.
(01:14):
Believe it or not, dear listener, I am
an introvert.
I know, I know.
You may have only known me for a few
episodes now, but
even you can tell that your girl BB is quite
loquacious, to put it nicely.
I've been labeled quite the talker since my
earliest elementary school report cards,
(01:35):
trust me.
But
that doesn't make the idea of speaking in
front of people on a stage or
huddled over
a mic in my bedroom any easier.
I still become pretty drained after
exerting so much effort
in a social setting.
And
I have an anxiety disorder, so things can
get kind of scary in here really fast
(01:58):
at the prospect of performing.
The good thing, dear listener,
is that I have had a lot of time to
practice
and I have a few tips to share.
If you're nervous, it's okay.
what you plan to do for whatever length of
time is nerve-wracking.
This is a natural response.
(02:18):
I often encourage poets, especially
first-timers,
to let the audience know that they are
nervous.
Yep, just rip the Band-Aid off.
If the audience is worth their salt,
they'll clap and offer encouragement.
And if they don't, well,
use your righteous anger at their audacity to push
through.
Number 2,
breathe.
(02:38):
You kind of have to do that anyway, but
this time, be very intentional.
Easy breaths in and out as you settle
yourself before approaching the stage, of
course.
But I also mean when you're practicing, too. Yes,
practicing.
Breath control isn't just for beyoncé and
Kendrick Lamar.
You need it, too.
(02:59):
As you read your piece aloud to yourself,
make note of where you need to stop and
take a breath.
Three,
Speaking of notes, like breathing, I
suggest you script your poem out.
Grab your poem and add stage directions for
yourself.
If you are worried about stumbling over a
line, space it out on the page so you can
be intentional about how you pace it.
(03:20):
Is there a word or line you want to
emphasize? Make it bold.
Place a few exclamation points around it.
Also, keep in mind that no one requires you
to recite the poem exactly as written on
the page.
Create a staged version of the poem in your
script.
Maybe you want to repeat a word or phrase
that doesn't need to be repeated when it
just lives on the page.
(03:42):
If you've shared the poem before, take note
of places in which the audience reacted and
maybe give a little space for that reaction
the next time.
Make sure you look up at the audience and
not just down at your poem the entire time,
so put a cue to look up.
When performing your poem in front of
people who can see you,
your body language and nonverbal cues are
(04:02):
sometimes just as important
as the words you speak.
This is a performance after all.
Number 4,
feel the poem.
Smile, frown, laugh, cry, whatever comes up
while you read it,
give it to them.
But whatever you do,
don't force it.
Unless this is a monologue and you're
(04:22):
flexing your acting chops.
Crying on cue during every poem just to get
a reaction
can cheapen it,
even if the tears are sincere.
But during a monologue,
it's part of the expectation.
So play it cool.
Number five,
be clear but not boring.
(04:42):
Dear listener, whatever you do,
Don't read it flat.
Be clear in your delivery,
but don't skimp on the personality.
Unless the audience has a copy of the poem
in front of them,
they are relying on you
and your delivery.
But A monotone recitation may not be the
best fit for all listeners.
(05:03):
It's like reading a book to a kid at
bedtime.
They still need at least a little magic
to keep them listening.
Six,
do your own thing.
I'll admit that this can vary a lot
depending on what you're used to
aesthetically, locally, generationally, or
even culturally.
The poets you came up with, the poets who
(05:25):
taught you, and the poets you are
surrounded by could present to you a
particular aesthetic.
And that aesthetic can feel like law.
But dear listener,
it isn't.
Take time practicing the poems out loud
to figure out how you sound and how you
want to sound.
Many people begin by mimicking, either
(05:46):
purposely or unconsciously, speech patterns
they've heard before.
Maybe you watch a lot of poetry videos online
and fall in love with a particular cadence.
Maybe you like to get into the pocket like
a battle rapper.
Maybe it's the way your grandpa tells a story,
and even how the preacher sounds on Sunday
morning.
Play.
(06:06):
Remix.
Take bits and pieces.
Sample the sounds until you find the one
that fits you.
If taking on the affectation of someone
else is what serves.
the poem and the performance, then you do
that with all of your heart.
But don't forget that you don't have to if
you don't want to.
You can be yourself as well.
(06:27):
You will also hopefully find that each poem
has its own voice.
No 2 poems sound exactly the same.
That brings me to number seven.
I remember once a poet homie of mine asked me
who I studied performance wise.
Who did I watch or listen to help me
(06:48):
develop my poetry style vocally?
And I said, nobody.
This is just how I talk.
I read poems the same way I give lectures,
the same way I joke with my friends, the
same way I sold jeans in a retail store,
the same way I explain rap beef to my baby
boomer father, the same way I review
romance novels on Instagram.
(07:08):
This is just what I sound like.
But it wasn't always like that, dear
listener.
At first,
I struggled.
After my MFA program, I did perform poetry
again for about 5 years. I
remember standing at a podium, my face
dangerously close to the page, and I read
my poems with such a dull and droll effect,
I'm surprised
(07:29):
I didn't put my own self to sleep.
I was out of practice in trying to imitate
other poets
who didn't vocalize as flamboyantly as I
tend to do in my normal conversation.
I didn't perform again after that for about
another year.
And that time I threw caution to the wind
and I just read the poem
(07:49):
the way that it felt comfortable
to me.
And it worked.
So please,
just
be yourself.
Number 8,
take your time and only your time.
This starts before you even get on the stage.
Rehearse your pieces and add timestamps to
your notes.
And be honest with yourself.
(08:11):
If you know you tend to prattle a bit
before or between poems, that needs to be
included in your rehearsal time.
Plan to plug your book or your next gig,
add that in too.
Leave a little wiggle room for unexpected
interruptions, misplaced pages, mic
adjustments, Broadway level standing
ovations, or
animated stampedes.
(08:33):
Anything can happen.
Knowing how much time you have will save
you from rushing through a piece as well.
Take
your time.
Open mics often have limits like 5 minutes
or two pieces.
Featured spots may be as short as 10
minutes or as long as 30 minutes.
Even if a time limit isn't specified or
enforced by the host or emcee,
(08:55):
it's good form to be mindful of your time.
You are more than likely one of a few
people on the lineup and they need their
time too.
I wouldn't keep a stopwatch running on your
compatriots, but
I would definitely pay attention to the
average set time.
Now, ultimately, it's up to the host or the
emcee to enforce time limits, okay? So
(09:17):
that's not your job.
Your concern is being considerate
of the other folks coming after you.
For example,
this tip is probably longer than all the
other ones I've given you, right?
And you can feel that, can't you?
Even without checking the time, you know
you you've been listening for a little bit
longer.
It's subtle,
(09:37):
but it's there.
And if you are worried truly about blowing
over your time,
you can even ask for a signal when you have
two minutes left or so,
or keep a timer running on your phone, or
both.
Number nine, know your audience.
Sometimes we say this and it translates to
(09:58):
sharing pieces you believe the audience
would enjoy or appreciate.
And that is important to keep in mind,
especially if the event has a theme.
But sometimes there is no theme.
And you show up and everyone's reading
super silky, slinky, sexy poems.
And you plan to wax poetic about your
childhood pet
(10:18):
and that existential crisis you went
through after your last two exes.
Oh no, panic at the disco.
What do you do?
Pivot to some slow jam poems?
If you have them, maybe,
but maybe, and this is my controversial
advice,
you do the poems that your furry friend,
your ex's starry in.
(10:39):
Because maybe, just maybe, there's someone
in the audience who needs that.
You may need that.
And you are your first audience after all.
So do what you came to do.
And if you are really concerned about this
kind of mismatch happening when it comes to
the vibes,
you can always check with the host before
you start prepping for your gig.
(11:00):
Now,
number 10,
pay attention to your needs.
It is so important to
eat,
hydrate, and rest, of course.
And it's also pretty important to know that
you need time to get hype before going up
on the stage, or you need time that's kind
of quiet and to yourself.
(11:21):
Maybe you're like me, and
immediately following the poem, you feel a
little overstimulated and need a second
before you feel fit for public consumption again.
Whatever it is, take care of yourself.
Make a plan, even if
it's an escape route.
Well, folks, that's my time.
If you enjoyed what you heard today, check
(11:42):
out past episodes like Episode 4, where
Marilyn helps you build your confidence as a poet,
or Episode 26, where Lori walks you through
what you need for your author website.
Be sure to like and follow us for more.
We have some great episodes coming up that
you don't want to miss.
If you really want a gold star in our
hearts, share this with a friend to help us
(12:03):
grow our community here.
For more information about the Poetry Lab
podcast, check us out at
www.thepoetrylab.com/podcast. And
you can find me, your girl Bebe, on
Instagram
@BridgetBianca.
And you can add me to your bookshelves by
grabbing the second edition of my book,
Be Trouble, published by Writ Large
(12:25):
Projects.
Talk to you later.
(00:00):
Before we wrote everything down, whether
hieroglyph or the notes app on our phones,
we have the oral tradition.
Stories, songs, poems, or speeches, sharing
aloud has always been a way for us to
connect.
So here are 10 tips
I like to keep in mind when performing.
Welcome to the Poetry Lab Podcast.
(00:27):
The Poetry Lab started 11 years ago to help
dedicated, self-taught, and formally
trained writers find a place in their
community to write,
read,
learn,
and collaborate.
We help writers tap into their craft with
radical self-compassion,
unlike anything you've ever seen in a
creative writing classroom before.
(00:49):
If you're a creative person trying to
establish a writing practice in the real world,
This podcast is designed to help you carve
out the time,
the courage,
and the inspiration to keep writing your
new shit.
Are you ready, poet?
Let's get into it.
(01:14):
Believe it or not, dear listener, I am
an introvert.
I know, I know.
You may have only known me for a few
episodes now, but
even you can tell that your girl BB is quite
loquacious, to put it nicely.
I've been labeled quite the talker since my
earliest elementary school report cards,
(01:35):
trust me.
But
that doesn't make the idea of speaking in
front of people on a stage or
huddled over
a mic in my bedroom any easier.
I still become pretty drained after
exerting so much effort
in a social setting.
And
I have an anxiety disorder, so things can
get kind of scary in here really fast
(01:58):
at the prospect of performing.
The good thing, dear listener,
is that I have had a lot of time to
practice
and I have a few tips to share.
If you're nervous, it's okay.
what you plan to do for whatever length of
time is nerve-wracking.
This is a natural response.
(02:18):
I often encourage poets, especially
first-timers,
to let the audience know that they are
nervous.
Yep, just rip the Band-Aid off.
If the audience is worth their salt,
they'll clap and offer encouragement.
And if they don't, well,
use your righteous anger at their audacity to push
through.
Number 2,
breathe.
(02:38):
You kind of have to do that anyway, but
this time, be very intentional.
Easy breaths in and out as you settle
yourself before approaching the stage, of
course.
But I also mean when you're practicing, too. Yes,
practicing.
Breath control isn't just for beyoncé and
Kendrick Lamar.
You need it, too.
(02:59):
As you read your piece aloud to yourself,
make note of where you need to stop and
take a breath.
Three,
Speaking of notes, like breathing, I
suggest you script your poem out.
Grab your poem and add stage directions for
yourself.
If you are worried about stumbling over a
line, space it out on the page so you can
be intentional about how you pace it.
(03:20):
Is there a word or line you want to
emphasize? Make it bold.
Place a few exclamation points around it.
Also, keep in mind that no one requires you
to recite the poem exactly as written on
the page.
Create a staged version of the poem in your
script.
Maybe you want to repeat a word or phrase
that doesn't need to be repeated when it
just lives on the page.
(03:42):
If you've shared the poem before, take note
of places in which the audience reacted and
maybe give a little space for that reaction
the next time.
Make sure you look up at the audience and
not just down at your poem the entire time,
so put a cue to look up.
When performing your poem in front of
people who can see you,
your body language and nonverbal cues are
(04:02):
sometimes just as important
as the words you speak.
This is a performance after all.
Number 4,
feel the poem.
Smile, frown, laugh, cry, whatever comes up
while you read it,
give it to them.
But whatever you do,
don't force it.
Unless this is a monologue and you're
(04:22):
flexing your acting chops.
Crying on cue during every poem just to get
a reaction
can cheapen it,
even if the tears are sincere.
But during a monologue,
it's part of the expectation.
So play it cool.
Number five,
be clear but not boring.
(04:42):
Dear listener, whatever you do,
Don't read it flat.
Be clear in your delivery,
but don't skimp on the personality.
Unless the audience has a copy of the poem
in front of them,
they are relying on you
and your delivery.
But A monotone recitation may not be the
best fit for all listeners.
(05:03):
It's like reading a book to a kid at
bedtime.
They still need at least a little magic
to keep them listening.
Six,
do your own thing.
I'll admit that this can vary a lot
depending on what you're used to
aesthetically, locally, generationally, or
even culturally.
The poets you came up with, the poets who
(05:25):
taught you, and the poets you are
surrounded by could present to you a
particular aesthetic.
And that aesthetic can feel like law.
But dear listener,
it isn't.
Take time practicing the poems out loud
to figure out how you sound and how you
want to sound.
Many people begin by mimicking, either
(05:46):
purposely or unconsciously, speech patterns
they've heard before.
Maybe you watch a lot of poetry videos online
and fall in love with a particular cadence.
Maybe you like to get into the pocket like
a battle rapper.
Maybe it's the way your grandpa tells a story,
and even how the preacher sounds on Sunday
morning.
Play.
(06:06):
Remix.
Take bits and pieces.
Sample the sounds until you find the one
that fits you.
If taking on the affectation of someone
else is what serves.
the poem and the performance, then you do
that with all of your heart.
But don't forget that you don't have to if
you don't want to.
You can be yourself as well.
(06:27):
You will also hopefully find that each poem
has its own voice.
No 2 poems sound exactly the same.
That brings me to number seven.
I remember once a poet homie of mine asked me
who I studied performance wise.
Who did I watch or listen to help me
(06:48):
develop my poetry style vocally?
And I said, nobody.
This is just how I talk.
I read poems the same way I give lectures,
the same way I joke with my friends, the
same way I sold jeans in a retail store,
the same way I explain rap beef to my baby
boomer father, the same way I review
romance novels on Instagram.
(07:08):
This is just what I sound like.
But it wasn't always like that, dear
listener.
At first,
I struggled.
After my MFA program, I did perform poetry
again for about 5 years. I
remember standing at a podium, my face
dangerously close to the page, and I read
my poems with such a dull and droll effect,
I'm surprised
(07:29):
I didn't put my own self to sleep.
I was out of practice in trying to imitate
other poets
who didn't vocalize as flamboyantly as I
tend to do in my normal conversation.
I didn't perform again after that for about
another year.
And that time I threw caution to the wind
and I just read the poem
(07:49):
the way that it felt comfortable
to me.
And it worked.
So please,
just
be yourself.
Number 8,
take your time and only your time.
This starts before you even get on the stage.
Rehearse your pieces and add timestamps to
your notes.
And be honest with yourself.
(08:11):
If you know you tend to prattle a bit
before or between poems, that needs to be
included in your rehearsal time.
Plan to plug your book or your next gig,
add that in too.
Leave a little wiggle room for unexpected
interruptions, misplaced pages, mic
adjustments, Broadway level standing
ovations, or
animated stampedes.
(08:33):
Anything can happen.
Knowing how much time you have will save
you from rushing through a piece as well.
Take
your time.
Open mics often have limits like 5 minutes
or two pieces.
Featured spots may be as short as 10
minutes or as long as 30 minutes.
Even if a time limit isn't specified or
enforced by the host or emcee,
(08:55):
it's good form to be mindful of your time.
You are more than likely one of a few
people on the lineup and they need their
time too.
I wouldn't keep a stopwatch running on your
compatriots, but
I would definitely pay attention to the
average set time.
Now, ultimately, it's up to the host or the
emcee to enforce time limits, okay? So
(09:17):
that's not your job.
Your concern is being considerate
of the other folks coming after you.
For example,
this tip is probably longer than all the
other ones I've given you, right?
And you can feel that, can't you?
Even without checking the time, you know
you you've been listening for a little bit
longer.
It's subtle,
(09:37):
but it's there.
And if you are worried truly about blowing
over your time,
you can even ask for a signal when you have
two minutes left or so,
or keep a timer running on your phone, or
both.
Number nine, know your audience.
Sometimes we say this and it translates to
(09:58):
sharing pieces you believe the audience
would enjoy or appreciate.
And that is important to keep in mind,
especially if the event has a theme.
But sometimes there is no theme.
And you show up and everyone's reading
super silky, slinky, sexy poems.
And you plan to wax poetic about your
childhood pet
(10:18):
and that existential crisis you went
through after your last two exes.
Oh no, panic at the disco.
What do you do?
Pivot to some slow jam poems?
If you have them, maybe,
but maybe, and this is my controversial
advice,
you do the poems that your furry friend,
your ex's starry in.
(10:39):
Because maybe, just maybe, there's someone
in the audience who needs that.
You may need that.
And you are your first audience after all.
So do what you came to do.
And if you are really concerned about this
kind of mismatch happening when it comes to
the vibes,
you can always check with the host before
you start prepping for your gig.
(11:00):
Now,
number 10,
pay attention to your needs.
It is so important to
eat,
hydrate, and rest, of course.
And it's also pretty important to know that
you need time to get hype before going up
on the stage, or you need time that's kind
of quiet and to yourself.
(11:21):
Maybe you're like me, and
immediately following the poem, you feel a
little overstimulated and need a second
before you feel fit for public consumption again.
Whatever it is, take care of yourself.
Make a plan, even if
it's an escape route.
Well, folks, that's my time.
If you enjoyed what you heard today, check
(11:42):
out past episodes like Episode 4, where
Marilyn helps you build your confidence as a poet,
or Episode 26, where Lori walks you through
what you need for your author website.
Be sure to like and follow us for more.
We have some great episodes coming up that
you don't want to miss.
If you really want a gold star in our
hearts, share this with a friend to help us
(12:03):
grow our community here.
For more information about the Poetry Lab
podcast, check us out at
www.thepoetrylab.com/podcast. And
you can find me, your girl Bebe, on
@BridgetBianca.
And you can add me to your bookshelves by
grabbing the second edition of my book,
Be Trouble, published by Writ Large
(12:25):
Projects.
Talk to you later.
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