Performances of Great Poetry
from Around the World

Dr. Diane Howard


In order to deliver a poem effectively, a presenter must first understand what the poet
is conveying in the work. The artist must recognize the literary devices in the piece.
The performer must know the emotions behind each line. The following poems have been 
delivered by the performers with sense, sound, and soul.

Dr. Howard and UMHB Performance Studies Students/Alumni have performed great poetry,
presented techniques in poetry performance, and instructed/critiqued poetry presenters via
television, videoconferencing, videostreaming, and webcasting for Texas Nafas, BellNet, TISD,
and the Apple Learning Interchange.

(For other multi-cultural, global performances of literature and history, see the following lists and links.
Ethnic Programs , Equal Opportunity Programs , Performances of Autobiography and Literature )

 African
I eared by Phedi Tlhobolo performed by Okechukwu Iwundu

African American
 Angelou, Maya
Collection of Poems performed by Sheraton McCarter Duffey
Still I Rise and other poems  performed by Christine Pointer
Weekend Glory performed by Tamara Harris

Giovanni, Nikki
Balances performed by Kristeya Price
Love Is  performed by Carrie Kelley

  The Slave’s Complaint by George Horton performed by Will Johnson
 
 Hughes, Langston
Collection of Poems performed by Sterling Stewart
Children Rhymes performed by Lisa Banks
A Dream Deferred  performed by Lisa Banks
The Cross performed by Shannon Robinson
Cultural Exchange by Ryan Mosley
Life is Fine  performed by Lorenzo Morgan
Negro  performed by Christine Pointer
The Negro Speaks of Rivers performed by Lennard Ball
The Negro Speaks of Rivers performed by Joseph Warren
  Night Funeral in Harlem performed by Lejon L. Wright Sr.

 The Creation by James Weldon  performed by Dee Hughes

Her Story by Naomi Long Madgett performed by Angelique Myers

What If I am A Woman by Claudette Elaine Sims performed by Carlotta Russell Maneice

 On Being Brought to America by Phyllis Wheatley performed by Carlotta Russell Maneice


American
Coming Home by Roger Bradford performed by Suzanne White

Ocean by Isabelle Burke performed by Christy Edwards

The Asylum by MD Burke performed by Ginny Byrd

Gertrude of Wyoming by Thomas Campbell  performed by Matthew Irvine

 Dickinson, Emily
Afraid! Of whom am I afraid? performed by Alisha Osborn
I Never Heard the Word Escape performed by Amy Vessels
If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking performed by Cynthia Thibodeau
That I Did Always Love performed by Emily Kidwell  
 It Struck Me Every Day performed by Robyn Hynes

Frost, Robert
The Lockless Door performed by Beth Prater
A Prayer in Spring performed by Alma Shirtum
The Road Not Taken performed by Jane Polach
Stars performed by Chase Williams
Reflection on the Viet Nam War Memorial by Jeffery Harrison performed by Melinda Lovorn

 Star-Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key performed in American Sign Language by Brooke Bennett

Light Of Stars by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow performed by Eric Clawsen

Bitter Strawberries  by Sylvia Plath  performed by Jessica Stockel

The Bells by Edgar Allen Poe performed by Charles Turner

I Am Not Yours by Sarah Teasdale performed by Rhonda Bailey

America for Me by Henry Van Dyke performed by Kathy Olin  

My Creed by Howard Arnold Walter  performed by Sarah Snyder

American Indian
I am He by Robert Ellis performed by Nicole Young


 Biblical, Jewish, Christian
Job 6 performed by Colette Chadwell
 If I Forget Jerusalem by Yehuda Amichi  performed by Amy Lunde
Isaiah 53 performed by Sarah Durham
The Prayer of St. Patrick attributed to St. Patrick performed by Chad Crawford
Psalm 27  performed by Lacey Thomas
Psalm 63 performed by Cynthia Brehm
Psalm 67 performed by Jamie Parker
Psalms performed by Raychelle Presley


British
 Poverty Knock by an anonymous author performed by Mark Arrazola
 

Blake, William
The Chimney Sweeper performed by Jessica Leonard
Love's Secret performed by Stephen Milillo
On Another's Sorrow performed by Ronnie McAdams
Songs of Experience performed by Josh Gwyn
Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience performed by Jennifer Lovell
To the Evening Star performed by Eric Clawson

 

Browning, Elizabeth Barrett
 My Kate performed by Christie Curtis
 Portuguese Love Sonnet  performed by Lauren Chamberlain


 Meeting at Night & Parting at Morning  by  Robert Browning   performed by Megan Robertson


To a Louse by  Robert Burns performed by Robyn Renfroe


Samuel Taylor Coleridge
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner  performed by Andrew Rey
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner performed by Jeremy Thompson
Eliot, T.S.
Gus the Theatre Cat from Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats performed by Day Lusby
The Wastelands performed by Julie Kendig


            As Kingfishers Catch Fire by Gerard Manley Hopkins performed by Mary Susan McGarr
 

Revenge by Letitia Elizabeth Landon  performed by Jennifer Ellis


The Owl and the Pussy Cat by Edward Lear performed by Stacy Regian
 

Milton, John
On the Late Massacre at Piedmont  performed by Ryan Busby
At Solemn Music performed by Aaron Rosberg
 

Arnold Winkelried by James Montgomery performed by Benjamin Tindall

The Prayer of St. Patrick  attributed to St. Patrick  performed by Chad Crawford

Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen performed by Peter McBride


 Rossetti, Christina
The First Day performed by Rachel Tomasek
 A Christmas Carol performed by Tyna Hammond
A Daughter of Eve  performed by Sarah Ray
Goblin Market performed by Jennifer Strickland
 

Shakespeare, William
Sonnet CXVI - Jessica Roush
Portia from the Merchant of Venice performed by Robin Wheeler

In Memoriam by Alfred Lord Tennyson performed by Jenna Artus


Yeats, William Butler
The Sorrow of Love performed by Josh Jones
 When You are Old performed by Jerica Sowers
 The Wild Swans at Coole performed by Kyle Tubbs


Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night by Dylan Thomas performed by James Love


 Lost (In a Celtic dialect) – A Traditional Celtic Poem performed by Liz Unger


 Chinese
  Unsteady is that cypress boat by Shih Ching performed by Deanna Johnston

French
 Qui Quoi by Michel Deguy performed (In English and French) by Donya Fagan

German
Der Panther (The Panther in English and German) by Rainer Maria von Rilke, Translator -Martin Greenberg, performed by Justin Golden

Greek
Ithaca by Constantin Cavafy performed by Michael Peterson


 Hispanic
 Song to the Most Holy Name of Jesus by Fernanado de Cordova y Bocanegra performed by Brittany Edwards

The Delicate Rose by Sor Juana Inez De La Cruz  performed by Sandra Rodriquez

  I Am a Product by Ben Weinmen  performed  (in Spanish and English) by Jeff Contreras


Neruda, Pablo  
Keeping Quiet performed by Diane Myers

Me gusta cuando callas performed by Yasmin Blackwood
 

The Balcony by Octavio Paz performed by Natalia Trejo

Day of the Refugios by Alberto Rios performed by Brisa Ruiz 


Italian
 An Italian Evening by Davide Rondoni  performed by Kimberly Stone

Japanese
 Japanese poetry performed by Shuntaro Yanasaki

 Basho Matsuo
  Collection performed by Kazunori Yamaguchi
 A Crow on a Withered Branch (in Japanese and English) performed by Breanna Sherbert


Korean
Years from Now by Kim Sowol performed by Angela Espada


Persian
Ruba ' ie #12 by Rumi performed by Layla Kalati


Polish 
 The Soul by Adam Zagajewski performed by Josh Kubiak


 

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