The Tangled Branch Discussion Forums

A simple thing like just pointing the audience to the central theme is enough...unless you have more time to give clearer explanations about (possible) opaque sections. 
From my little experience I know that audiences want to appreciate everything, but don't have to understand everything. Once they (we) have some footing they can relax and enjoy it, instead of spending time internally considering a line you spoke two stanzas ago trying to understand what it meant...and missing most of what you're trying to communicate. 
Listening to your recital (with the heads up) was a new way for me to enjoy your poetry. I was able to really enjoy the aesthetics without thinking of punctuation/ings/repeats and all the critique shit. I was free to immerse myself.
A liberating experience. 
And a fabber (sic) poem for it.   

Well more than anything its just plain fun seeing one of our own reading poetry. On the few occasions I've read for a group I was astounded by how nervous it made me. Good on you Tracy and anyone who takes the risk.

I didn't detect a Minnesota accent.

Thanks Colm. You are right about the audience wanting to stay in the moment, and the reader's obligation to help them do so. And yes, the spoken poem is so different! The breaths and pauses are so much richer than punctuation, as you say.

Indar- it must be a good group at the Bell Tower - I am not particularly nervous. Accent? I am one of the very few people I know who have no accent at all.

We should find a good platform for us to record and post our poems. We tried SoundCloud when we were on another site and that worked decently until SoundCloud changed their program.

Anyone have ideas?

Tracy,

The reality of nature and the metaphors abound. You took me on a walk into the healing wilderness. Marcel

That's great. It is a warm feeling. love the end line.
lisa

Thanks Lisa. I read this one at Open Mic a few weeks ago.

T