A couple of days ago, I had a chance to read my poetry in public for the first time. I really engaged the (albeit small) audience of writers when I spoke about haiku and scifaiku. But I found reading my haiku to be exceptionally challenging, both in the sense that it is an emotionally vulnerable experience and that I think you need to read haiku differently (slower?) than other forms of poetry to connect with the listener. A friend of mine who came with me for moral support commented that, unlike in a longer speech or poem, where the listener can miss a word or two without losing context, every word counts in haiku.
So, is there a secret to reading haiku so that your listeners don't get lost? Do you read more loudly, more slowly? Do you provide the audience a written copy of what you are reading? ???
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Pause in the appropriate place(s) and read them twice with a small wait between readings.
Thanks, Don. I wouldn't have thought to do that. Is it standard practice to read the poems twice? I've never heard anyone read haiku before so I didn't really know what I was doing.
Yes, Julie. It's standard ... and in some places they prefer three times! :) Try to change the reading slightly too, each time.
Julie,
Type "haiku readings" in you tube. There are lots of videos, you can choose the way you like best :))
Best,
Vida
Thanks, Don and Vida! I don't know why it didn't occur to me to look for YouTube videos of readings. That's an excellent idea.
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For anyone intending to read or perform live:
Here's a TEDx video of myself talking to an audience (and being filmed at the same time). Although the talk was only five minutes long, I took along a prompt book as I didn't memorise the whole performance.
Plus an ad lib at the beginning because I was introduced as Alan Summer and not as Alan Summers. :-)
Always be prepared to ad lib, especially if you have rehearsed your piece well, and won't get lost picking up again.
YouTube, Amazement of the ordinary- life through a haiku lens:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LxLTiR7AKDE#at=12
Transcript:
http://area17.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/transcript-from-tedx-video-amazement-of.html
Amazement of the ordinary- life through a haiku lens©Alan Summers 2012-2013
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