• Poetry Out Loud is open to all El Dorado County high school students.
• All poems must be selected from the Poetry Out Loud print or online anthology.
• All students must choose two poems from the official anthology to recite.
• Students must recite their poem from memory.
• Students may not use props or wear costumes during their recitations.
• Include any notes made in the poem itself in your recitation. For example, in Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight by Vachel Linsday, the note "(In Springfield, Illinois)" at the top just under the author's name is part of the poem and must be included in your recitation. If you find yourself unsure if something should be included, ask.

Recitation Requirements:

It is the student’s job to identify the poem title and author, and, if necessary, the translator. (For example, “Brother, I’ve seen some” by Kabir, translated by Arvind Krishna Mehrotra). A few other notes:

• A student’s own editorial comments before or after the poem are not allowed.
• Epigraphs should be recited and their omission will affect the accuracy score.
• Footnotes should not be recited and their inclusion will affect the accuracy score.
• Stanza numbers and dedications are optional, and their inclusion or omission should not affect the accuracy score.
• Students must include the name of the translator, if applicable.
• The poem must be delivered from memory