Poetry Out Loud – FAQ

Poetry Out Loud is a national recitation that encourages the study of great poetry.

Poetry Out Loud is a fun, participatory way to teach poetry and meet Delaware’s English Language Arts requirements. Free, standards-based curriculum materials are available for all participating schools. Participating schools also have the opportunity to work with teaching artists who give workshops on poetry recitation for students.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) with the State Arts Agencies to bring Poetry Out Loud program to all 50 states including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Poetry Out Loud builds on the recent resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as demonstrated by the slam poetry movement and the immense popularity of rap music among our youth. By performing great works of literature, students can master public-speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn more about their cultural heritage.

Delaware High Schools of any type – public, private, parochial, independent, charter, etc. – and its students in grades 9-12 may participate in Poetry Out Loud.

A volunteer Lead Teacher will coordinate the competition in your school.

The Lead Teacher will:

1. Coordinate the contest in your school and organize the school-wide competition
2. Provide necessary information to the Delaware Division of the Arts

The Delaware Division of the Arts provides registered schools with the following support services:

• Preparation workshops. If desired, the registered Lead Teacher may arrange for a teaching artist to present the Poetry Out Loud curriculum via Zoom workshops during classroom time periods free of charge by contacting the State Coordinator
• Student/teacher coaching on how to choose poems for recitation. Teaching artists are happy to provide tailored advice to teachers and students, if desired, on methods for choosing poems and preparing recitations.
• Ongoing updates and best practices for teachers: The State Coordinator and teaching artists are both available to discuss questions that arise during the competition season.

Complete the registration form on this website or contact Briana Henry at briana.henry@delaware.gov for further information.

Poetry Out Loud curriculum materials include online poetry anthologies, a teacher’s guide to help instructors teach recitation and performance, a DVD and companion guide of past national competition performances to use as a learning tool, promotional and media guides, and a comprehensive website. Curriculum materials are available for download on the Poetry Out Loud website www.poetryoutloud.org, which can also be used by schools not involved in the official current contest.

The online poem anthology, sample audio and video clips of poetry performances, and tips on poem selection and recitation are available on the Poetry Out Loud website year-round, free of charge. The Teacher Packet, which includes a teacher’s guide, learning recitation DVD and posters, will be sent to participants soon after registration.

No, all poems must be selected from the Poetry Out Loud online anthology, which is updated every summer. Check the website after October 1st of each year to view the official POL anthology for the current school year.

Poems may be removed from the online anthology before October 1st, so please check after that date to ensure that the poem is eligible for competition in the current school year. The removed poems are no longer eligible for competition. Click here for a list of eligible poems.

At the state and national competitions, students must have three (3) poems of the student’s choosing prepared.  Previously, requirements from the National competition required one poem 25 lines or shorter, one written before the 20th century (the same poem may be used to meet both criteria), and a third poem of the student’s choosing. That is no longer required.

Lead teachers must submit this information by the deadline (December 23, 2025).

We suggest that teachers implement the program in the classroom and school in the late fall. Each individual teacher might spend from one to three weeks on Poetry Out Loud, although the program will not require full class periods during this time. A teaching artist can visit free of charge, contact State Coordinator Briana Henry at briana.henry@delaware.gov if interested in this opportunity.

No student may be excluded from participating in Poetry Out Loud on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or national origin. Schools may determine eligibility for classroom and school level Poetry Out Loud programming pursuant to local and state law. As part of the routine collection of biographical information, you will need to confirm eligibility of your school champion and runner-up prior to their participation in the state competition.

One to three minutes. A sonnet generally takes about a minute to recite, and we are trying to keep the maximum time per poem to around three minutes.

The recitation of poetry, in this context, is a bit different than theatre acting. Poetry recitation is about the poem, not the performance. No props, costumes, or music may be used. Overacting, exaggerated movements, and odd voices and accents can be distracting. However, depending on the poem, gestures and some movement may be appropriate.

A contest event should take less than two hours; any longer than that can be difficult for the audience. There will be detailed instructions and recommendations in the Teacher’s Guide on organizing the school contest, depending on the number of participants.

• The state winner will receive $200
• The state winner’s school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books
• The first runner-up will receive $100, with $200 for his or her school library
• The National Endowment for the Arts Endowment will be awarding $50,000 total in scholarships and school stipends at the National Finals

The National Endowment for the Arts will provide all prizes.

The 2026 Poetry Out Loud National Finals will take place April 27-29, 2026 in Washington, D.C.