ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Good On You Bob! I often hear at festivals and shows, "Here is Tom/Jenny Smith who will now: read us a poem; say a poem; do a poem; give us a poem..." but never, "Recite, present or perform a poem." The one I dislike the most is,
"say a poem." I don't think you can say a poem.

G'day Bob,

I think it is an old fashioned term to have a poetry 'reading'. Although we all have people come up to us and say they don't know how we do it. Recite from memory that is. I am going to make a list of all the poems I know well enough to recite. Then choose some others of my own to learn. It has been a long time since I introduced anything new.
I also have a poem that a friend of mine wrote I would love to learn but I have found some glitches in the metre and it is so hard to overlook them. But I would not change them as it is not my work. It is a 'bloody' good poem. I said the first time I heard it that I wish I had written it. I might have another look at it - as I said it is an exceptional poem .

This is a discussion about nothing. Perform, read, say, present, recite ........whatever........ for poetry as spoken word they are all interchangeable terms that mean much the same thing. Six to one ; half dozen the other.

I beg to differ Neville I doubt that someone reading poetry would have had a chance today over the bustle of a major shopping centre. The organiser apologised because she did not have a stand for me to put my book on .

oh and there is a big difference between a performance and reading and a bigger difference between a one rum and a two rum performance

a good fundraiser and they were setting up the band when I left but always glad to help such a worthwhile charity.

Bob