5 Ways to Engage Reluctant Readers of Poetry

How can ELA teachers engage reluctant readers--especially reluctant readers of poetry? It begins with choosing the right poem. Here are 5 qualities that a poem should have in order to engage reluctant readers:

1. Narrative

   While I may enjoy sitting with an Emily Dickinson verse and puzzling over her anachronistic capitalization and use of dashes, the reluctant readers in my classes have no tolerance for the esoteric. They want narrative. Because so much of what we read is narrative we are programmed to listen for character, conflict, resolution, and setting--not litotes, anaphora, and caesura. So, choose a poem that tells a story. I've had success with Noyes' "The Highwayman," Shelley's "Ozymadias," and Robinson's "Richard Cory."

   
   

2. Engaging subject matter

   Even the greatest poetry enthusiasts encounter poems that frustrate us (yes, I'm looking at you John Donne). Donne's metaphysics just take too much mental work sometimes. It is easier--and therefore more enjoyable--to read about subjects we enjoy. This is why Billy Collins is so enjoyable--he's approachable because he's writing about subject matter I enjoy. Many of my students gravitate towards the horror of Poe or the theme of baseball in Thayer's "Casey at Bat."

   
   

3. Short

   Truth be told, if you plop a multi-page poem down in front of me, I'm probably going to utter an exasperated sigh. It's asking a lot to work through a long verse. Sometimes the distraction that comes from that immersion is welcome--but never for my reluctant readers. So, keep it short. Really short. The eight lines of Countee Cullen's "A Brown Girl Dead" pack quite a punch and allow me to hit learning targets while not overwhelming those reluctant readers.

   
   

4. Simple

   Keep it simple, stupid. Life is complicated enough--poetry shouldn't add to the load. A "good" poem isn't defined by its impenetrable high-mindedness. A good poem is any verse that invites the reader in and engages them. My reluctant readers and I share this in common--we like a simple poem. A poem that is simple enough to memorize part or all of it is going to have greater resonance with reluctant readers. Gwendolyn Brooks' "We Real Cool" is simple because of its short length and approachable subject matter--I've been able to engage more than a few reluctant readers with this simple poem.

   
   

5. Fun

   This is self-explanatory, isn't it? A fun poem is an engaging poem. Don't be afraid to get silly with Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky" as you mime the jaws that bite and claws that catch. Although it deals with a more serious subject, my students and I have had a lot of fun with Danez Smith's "Dinosaurs in the Hood," which has fun pop-culture references.

   
   

   Success with reluctant readers of poetry is best measured in inches not feet. What are some poems that have engaged your reluctant readers? Please comment below!

   
   

   Photos credit: Nick Fewings https://unsplash.com/photos/assorted-title-poetry-books-on-display-q0MSEVq7JMo