Performing the poem 'London' by William Blake

After we have taken time to understand a poem’s meaning, themes and structure, we can learn a poem off by heart. Learning poetry by heart offers a range of benefits, both emotionally and academically. Hiding certain words in a poem engages readers in active retrieval practice, strengthening our memory recall. Understanding a poem, its language and the impression it creates will help us to create an impactful performance. We can improve our performances by considering the pace, the atmosphere and our own use of voice and movement.