How to Memorize a Robert Frost Poem

To celebrate the 150th birthday or Robert Frost this year, we asked LOA staff and friends to memorize one of his poems over the course of a week and talk about their experiences. In the process, they discovered what makes memorizing a poem so special, as well as a handful of tips and tricks for committing anything to heart.
--
Find out more about the recently released Robert Frost: Sixteen Poems to Learn by Heart by Jay Parini here: www.loa.org/books/robert-fros...
--
Archival footage from:
Robert Frost at Bread Loaf, Middlebury College, CC 4.0: archive.org/details/middfilms...
Robert Frost: A Lover's Quarrel with the World, WGBH Educational Foundation, 1963: archive.org/details/robertfro...

[@maisiehoughton5117]

as a child at school in early fifties, Robert Frost came to speak at our School Assembly in Cambridge. Today I at 83 still know Stopping By Woods by heart. Two of my granddaughters read this poem -not memorized, yet!- at my husband's memorial a very moving LOA presentation, thank you!

[@Tompelsue]

This is so wonderful! The opening video of Frost was shot in the early 1960’s near our family cabin in Vermont. I’m going to start memorizing a poem today!

[@larryapple6507]

I memorized Stopping By Woods almost by accident. By loving the poem so much. And by reading it so often. One day, I found, I knew I had memorized it.

[@danabuckingham5677]

I thoroughly enjoyed this video and it made my day. I smiled all the way through as I watched others struggle with memorizing a poem by Robert Frost as I too have memorized a few of Frost's poems. On occasion, I spontaneously recite them to the surprise and delight of others. I have my mother to thank for that lifetime gift. She was always reciting poetry when we were kids growing up. Frost was one of her favorite poets alongside Longfellow, Tennyson, and Shakespeare. From a young age she encouraged me to memorize poems to recite during our family gatherings like Christmas. One of the first poems that I memorized was Dickens " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and I still recite that poem for others over the holidays. My favorite poem by Robert Frost is one that I memorized recently, "Acquainted with the Night". By the way, memorizing poetry is a good way to exercise your brain as you grow older. I recommend starting with a short poem like Frost's "Fire and Ice" and then work your way up.

[@lynnegannon1865]

I have written a play that is an adaptation of four of Frost's narrative poems. Actors who have worked with me on it have struggled with the memorization, but it is wonderful when it works. Also pretty great as staged reading. I memorized many of the shorter poems over the years and would impress my students by reciting them. Some are pretty easy as a result of rhyme and repetition.

[@libcopywriter]

Such amazing footage of Frost (especially him throwing and then eating apples). Memorizing is humbling... Inspired to do this with friends-and to pick up a copy of Frost poems!

[@IanCampbell-df8br]

wonderful, simply wonderful.

[@Alisonwest]

It seems that those who learned the lines together with the emotion and rhythm vs. rote repetition did better.