Poetry Out Loud

High school students from across Michigan will convene at Central Michigan University March 14 to compete in Poetry Out Loud, a national recitation contest sponsored by Michigan Humanities and hosted by the CMU Department of English Language and Literature. The event takes place from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at French Auditorium inside the Education and Human Services Building and is free and open to the public. The winner of this state competition will travel to Washington D.C. in late April to participate as the Michigan representative in the national contest.

Students compete in multiple rounds, reciting their deeply prepared selections from an anthology of classic and contemporary verse provided to them by the program. The event not only showcases the talent of young people and the power of poetry, but also the educational impacts of recitation.

Michigan Poetry Out Loud is a partnership between Michigan Humanities and the Michigan Arts and Culture Council and is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. According to the Michigan Humanities website, Poetry Out Loud has featured more than 4.5 million high school students since it began in 2005. More than 3,000 students and about 75 teachers took part in Michigan’s Poetry Out Loud program this year.

Katie Wittenauer, Michigan Humanities Director of Programs, is excited about bringing the event to CMU.

“Central Michigan University is the perfect location for the State Finals because it is geographically central to our partnerships with schools and other non-profit organizations across the state, and provides students, their families, and partnering teachers with an opportunity to explore higher education opportunities before, during, and after the event,” Wittenauer said. “I look forward to the Poetry Out Loud community learning more about all that’s underway in the CMU English department, and how they can learn more about the engaging, creative possibilities.”

English faculty member Robert Fanning served as a judge in Lansing in 2023 and teaches poetry workshops for participating high school teachers in the program. He facilitated the new partnership and is thrilled about CMU being chosen as the venue and the English Department serving as hosts.

“Poetry Out Loud is not only a showcase of the fantastic talent and brilliance of young people in our state, and of poetry’s relevance and power,” Fanning said. “This event also compliments the community-focus of our Creative Writing programs, and we hope CMU’s English Department will serve as the host for years to come.”

Fanning is the facilitator and host of the annual Walt Whitman Leaves of Grass Marathon Reading, a daylong outdoor event that draws students, faculty and community members to Fabiano Botanical Gardens on CMU’s campus, to read Whitman’s poetry aloud in early October. In addition, he runs the prominent Wellspring Literary Series, an annual series hosted by Art Reach of Mid Michigan. Now in its 14^th year, Wellspring draws Michigan’s professional poets to perform along with CMU student writers and musicians and has also made Mt. Pleasant a major destination on the state literary map. In addition, the English Department’s Meijer Visiting Writers Series features four nationally prominent writers on campus each year.

“Our thriving creative writing program has long been active in the community,” said CMU English Department Chair Steve Bailey. “I am really excited by this new partnership, which is the best kind of community outreach. Poetry Out Loud is a natural fit for us, as we’re used to hosting creative writing events that draw big and enthusiastic crowds.”

On the Michigan Humanities blog, alumni of Poetry Out Loud speak highly of the program’s powerful impact on their confidence and their deeper engagement with language.

“Poetry Out Loud provides an opening for students to connect with poems and poets on a new level, and to see what’s possible when those words are embodied and shared,” said Wittenauer. “We often hear from students after their engagement in the program about their initial perception of a poem and how that evolved through such a close study of it, memorization, and practice recitations. We love to learn about the ways the program impacts students’ confidence in public speaking spaces, and both parents and teachers have spoken to the ways that Poetry Out Loud helps students take risks and be courageous on stage in a safe, welcoming environment.”

Wittenauer visited campus twice this spring where she had the opportunity to meet Richard Rothaus, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and to acquaint herself with French Auditorium, home for this year’s event.

“We are grateful to Central Michigan University’s College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences and Department of English Language and Literature for their generosity and collaboration for this year’s event sponsorship,” said Wittenauer. “We can’t wait for everyone to gather on campus!”

Bailey says CMU’s English Department is a welcoming environment for this excellent educational endeavor.

“We’re going to have a bunch of super talented young students come to campus and recite their verse with power, poise, and poetic grace. From my standpoint as Chair of English, it doesn’t get any better than that.” 

To read more about programs and upcoming events in the Department of English Language and Literature, visit the department website. Visit Michigan Humanities to learn more about the state sponsor of Poetry Out Loud.

Michigan Poetry Out Loud is a partnership between Michigan Humanities and the Michigan Arts and Culture Council and funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. In-kind support for this year’s program is generously provided by Central Michigan University’s College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences and Department of English Language and Literature, and the Library of Michigan.