(There's been some discussion of this recently)

 

They’d done their introduction – the What, the Who, the Why,

They’d moved on to the poem itself then looked up to the sky

Adopting glazed expressions that poets all apply.

 

It makes the words seem worthy (it’s just one of our ploys)

Then start to speak with em-pha-sis (it shows poetic poise)

They don’t know that they’re doing this.  It’s called your Poetry Voice.

 

They’d made sure that the ends don’t rhyme (that’s easy as one knows)

You simply write your poem out just like a piece of prose

Then chop it into little lines in case your system shows.

 

But back to their reciting, which now is slow and loud

There’s only half a dozen there – you’d think it was a crowd

The ones who are Old Hands at this stand confident and proud.

 

Yes, hammy acting’s de rigeur, each word with emphasis

Yet when we talked alone before you never talked like this

But once you get up to the mic not one beat do you miss.

 

I have heard the defence for this – a bloke told me in Chorley

“It helps to frame your poetry to speak it nice and slowly

I said “That’s like we blokes all cough – to show that we’re still poorly”

 

But wait! There’s animation too which helps weak poems out

So as they rant pretentiously they point and strut and pout

And building to a climax waft their arms about.

 

So come and join an Open Mic – you’ll find there’s lots of choice

There’s several here on Write Out Loud for poetry girls and boys

Just fetch the stuff you’ve written down

               But bring your Poetry Voice.