Read, Recite, Share Your Voice
Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life.
Get involved today! Contact your state arts agency.
Featured Poet
Alan Dugan is remarkable for the dark, blunt comedy of his distinctive voice. Nothing held sacred by others escapes him unscathed; he is, in one critic’s label, “the clown of nihilism.” After growing up in New York City, Dugan was drafted into the Air Force and served in WWII; in the 1950s he held various jobs while developing his poetry. His first volume, published in 1961, won both the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize, and his subsequent six collections—all titled Poems—were similarly acclaimed. For years he was on the faculty of the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts.
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For Students
What’s It Like To Compete?
Nervous about reciting? Unsure of where to start? Don’t be—everything you need to help you perform a successful recitation is right here.
““I love the fact that students are not just reading a poem or reading words, but they are actually sharing a part of their identity, sharing what’s important to them. The poems that I chose share a different facet of what I believe in, who I am.”
Sreepadaarchana Munjuluri, 2023 National Champion
For Teachers and Organizers
The Power of Poetry
Every year thousands of teachers integrate Poetry Out Loud into their curricula. This section has everything you need to run a successful program in your classroom.