I know most of us will probably not be taken captive by Somali pirates. But strange things do happen in this world. While tuned into the radio this morning I listened to a woman speak about her trip to a resort on the coast of Kenya and her subsequent capture by pirates. To survive her captivity she used visualization techniques and practiced Pilates. How about if she had had a repertoire of poems to recite aloud? She might have won her captors over with her oral recitations and be set free sooner.
It is sad that rote memorization is no longer part of the school curriculum. Learning a poem helps a child to develop vocabulary while also improves enunciation and self-image. Performing a poem in front of family or peers help a child to overcome shyness and develop their sense of self. What's not to like about that? I believe it helps to develop empathy when you comprehend another's view point through the recall of a poem. Just reading a poem is not the same as memorizing it. Memorization is a way to go deeper into the poem and to connect to a long history of passing along stories and customs. It links us to our ancestors and enables us to see the world through their eyes.
It is easier than one thinks to memorize a poem. If you start with a short one and work on memorizing one or two lines at a time, before you know it you will have it down. Picking a poem with a strong rhythmic undertone will make it easier to memorize. The added benefit of learning a poem will be that you might find your overall memory becomes stronger.
There was a sea captain from my home state of Vermont who was taken hostage by Somali pirates a few years back. I wonder how he passed the time? While I won't be sailing the high seas anytime soon, I will be adding to my catalogue of poems just in case.
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