Best Public Speaking Poems
I spoke into the microphone, as tears interrupted my speech
The dread of public speaking, overcame me, like hearing a screech
Then I sort of rambled on, probably too fast for others to understand
In the background, the lake waves rolled in and lapped the land
The waves were easier to listen to, than my own words in the air
All the people in front of me standing in time, looking at me here
It is nice to be heard with significant things, but this is not my way
I’d rather have a pen in hand to be writing all that I have to say
Although, even with a speech with words stumbling and a few tears
It is to be remembered and was not nearly as bad as I feared
For all went well, as the weather delivered a perfect sunny day
Blue skies, slight breeze, lake filled with fun, all clouds drifting away
A cleansing, a commitment, verified in a speech to last forever more
As the smiles spread across faces and the lake waves lapped the shore
Heidi Sands
7/30/17
Emotionally,
a wordsmith, caregiver, plant tender, embroiderer;
enjoy studying esoteric astrology, being in nature and dancing,
daydream of owning land, living remotely, publishing.
Sadness lives in me over global greed, power thirst, cruelty,
I fear Burger King's king, public speaking, being alone when old;
wish I could promote self-love, peace and forgiveness for all,
resident of the human condition as God's child.
Intuitive ....
She looked at his face as he raped her
Making sure she remembered all
When it was time to go to court
She watched as the jail sentence fell
He cried in court, I am innocent
No way would I do such a crime
But the court didn’t believe him
Put him away for a long time
Seems memories are a bad thing
In times when you’r not well
This man was innocent of the crime
Wasn’t him at all.
Mistakes are made quite innocently
Luckily he has forgiven her
For spending 11 years behind bars
When he knew that he shouldn’t be there
Said, one day I knew I would be rescued
From this life of pain
Knowing that you are innocent
Can drive a man insane.
“Live, forgive and keep moving on” are Ronalds motto
Not an easy task
When your back is against the wall
Justice is all you ask.
Now they speak out together
Public speaking about rape and distress
And the error of the eyewitness
When the victim’s life is a mess
Ronald Cotton received a life sentence which was revoked upon DNA evidence, 11 years later.
They say our life is happy – so full of fun,
They call it advices when they point a gun,
Dad says ‘you only have to study – why can’t you’
Dear elders –wait a while, come and wear into my shoe!
Unit test are coming up –beware,
You must study till late-learn and prepare!
Don’t be coward – you are on the soccer field,
Bend like Beckham you must win a shield!
Oratory is the art of public speaking
you must participate, it’ll be interesting!
The quizmaster is confusing, you see,
Go through Telegraph, Statesman and Graphiti!
Late to bed and early to rise,
You say will make me brilliant and wise.
You were absent yesterday go and meet the clerk,
I will kick you out of the class, if you don’t do the home work!
Don’t get distracted be steady like the stars – look,
Go for tuitions – forget the hi5, Orkut or Facebook!
We are your elders – we say for your good,
Better pay attention or you’d it – understood!
Now that you’ve taken a ride into our routine,
Let me show you the pictures that you’ve already seen!
So easy is our life that we are never at rest,
Today is elocution and tomorrow will be the test,
If we fail – dad receives a letter,
If we pass – we can still do better!
What hypocrisy is this – are we machines,
We have our lives – we have our dreams!
You’ve made the board dirty with your words – you must clean,
I’m sorry elders it was just the blood from the heart of a teen!!
Public Speaking
Public speaking made me nervous when I was in school
Getting up in front of class, I always lost my cool
I memorized my speeches and really knew them well
But between my brain and lips, things just didn’t jell
Here are a few examples with embarrassing details
“Saving whales,” I meant to say instead of “waving sails”
And when one wants to talk about “battle ships and cruisers”
His audience will likely laugh at “cattle ships and bruisers”
It shouldn’t be as hard as jumping a high hurdle
To say “hypodermic needle” not “hypodemic nurdle”
And certainly one understands that a “well-oiled bicycle”
Will last a whole lot longer than a “well-boiled icicle”
During school it seemed likely I’d been “wasting two terms”
Still, a whole lot better that “tasting two worms”
So compared to public speaking, writing is the “fun part”
More dignified that expounding on the latest “pun fart”
The fear of Public Speaking has been with me always
but never like it was on that June evening so many years ago.
I still get gut wrenching panic when I think about that time,
it really seems like only yesterday....
A late bloomer, extremely shy, it was a horror to be
selected as Valedictorian of my high school class. For weeks
I had trouble sleeping and could barely eat. I knew
disaster was close at hand..
.
The day of graduation I prayed for a quick death, thought
seriously of faking a terminal illness, and cried all afternoon.
And you know what? It was just a bad as I thought it
would be.....
My throat closed, I whispered and croaked and didn't say
one coherent thing. Dead silence. Then clapping,
led by my frantic parents. No one ever mentioned the debacle..
but at our ten year reunion I was nominated as the girl
who had changed the most. Oh, that little victory was sweet.
but, dear God, I still remember......
For John Heck's contest..
Come out come out! Where ever you are!
Those of you hiding in the crowd know
who you are.
Come out come out! wherever you are!
those of you scared to speak out loud
in front of a crowd know who you are!
Those of you suffering from stage fright.
Know who you are.
Just the thought of everybody looking at you.
The fear of public speaking has you terrified.
You’re like a deer in a room full of mountain lions.
Some of you say you’re not scared.
You just don’t feel like coming up on stage
Or stand up and speak in the middle
of a classroom. But we know better.
If you had a choice between stepping up to the mic
or kissing the ugliest person on the planet.
We know some of you would pucker up…
When it comes to public speaking, some of you would prefer
to be in the coffin then to give the eulogy at the funeral.
Some of you are scared that
You’re going to embarrass yourself
or that something is going to go wrong,
or that you’ll look stupid.
Well never fear, people want to hear you do well.
They want to see you succeed,
when you speak your mind.
Well that day will come
when you are ready.
That’s when you’ll show
your quiet defiance and determination.
You will be ready to dance
like Nobody is watching.
Sing like no one is listening,
and speak like you’re standing
in an empty room.
If this sounds crazy, then you will learn
that most poets aren’t wrapped too tight.
And that our creative elevators
go up to the top floor.
Where we are in good company.
Because if you haven’t heard,
there are some people who are crazy,
and then there are some people
who are good and crazy.
So which one are you?
Public speaking fear,
Relieved by a beer,
Can lead to audience loss,
You are filled with dread,
Words at mirror said,
Make you seem like you are boss.
Tell a short story,
Of me - no glory,
Make them laugh real good and loud.
Forget the content,
They’ll think you’re bent,
Self-comedy wins a crowd.
For Nette Onclaud’s “Alouette Your Cleansing Rite (Ritual)” contest
Written by Lee Ramage
August 27, 2011
Placement: 8th
Shawn Barlow was terrified of public speaking
just the very thought set everything to leaking.
A friend suggested Pampers
to reduce the dampers.
But alas Shawn is now odorantly reeking.
Rhonda
Wife, Friend, Mother, Spirit
Daughter of John and Joanne
Lover of Christmas morning, the wise voices of my elders, and rock-n-roll
Who feels joy in family, empathy for those who suffer, and love in prayer
Who fears public speaking, my own inadequacies and seeing my son in pain
Who would like to see a peaceful world, my grandchildren, the Lord's face
Resident of Fort Lauderdale, Florida
(Johnson) Saunders
Dear Jonathan you seem more refined than most
Were you appointed spokesperson to fill a post
I'm the Canadian equivalent
I'm really quite magnifient
When it comes to public speaking I can't help but boast
Well don't be shy you should blow your own trumpet
Need to show these guys we ain't just some puppets
Got savy galore
Taking over the floor
To the applause of many causing smiles by the bucket
Now don't get me wrong John, I'm straight as an arrow
It's my humble attempt to prove I'm really not shallow
My breath is strong
As I lead them in song
And they keep throwing me money by the barrel
So John, this is not one of those “Dear John” letters
Trust me, this little limerick is a whole lot better
To acknowledge your talents
Won't call you a savant
Though on Poetry Soup you're image is unfettered
Enough is enough, mustn't cause too much laughter
For fear you might think it's your body I'm after
On my mama's grave
It's only friendship I crave
Okay I admit writing this while a bit plastered
© Jack Ellison 2015
Doctor Martin Luther King Junior
a black man from Atlanta, Georgia.
An activist and visionary
he spoke against racial injustice.
This Nobel Prize-winning man of peace
preached tolerance and non-violence.
Challenging bigotries and hatred
he marched against discrimination.
He struck a match against ignorance,
lighting liberty's torch for freedom.
And boldly opposed segregation,
standing up to white America.
His public-speaking abilities
both enraged his foes and won him friends.
And government bigots denounced him
as a dangerous agitator.
A pacifist, he shared his dream of
whites and blacks united in friendship.
Unshackled from the past, free at last,
"thank The Lord All Mighty, free at last."
His light refused to be extinguished
when James Earl Ray shot him in Memphis.
And now his life is celebrated
each year, on Martin Luther King day.
(Blank Verse)
11/14/2017
Public Speaking
Or Death
Which fear is worse?
Are We racing to the white house
riding in a hearse?
Sam Adams
Was born prematurely
Spent his first moments
In an incubator
Born with bad hearing
Bad vision
Bad teeth
And a speech impediment
And a learning disability
But he learned to cope
As he was a genius
Reading college level
In the second grade
When he was in high school
To overcome his fear
Of public speaking
He joined the debate team
His specialty was impromptu speaking
He found that he excelled
At making speeches on the fly
Overcoming his fears
Of public speaking along the way.
That is how Sam Adams
Learned to speak in public
Becoming a good speaker
In the end.
Based on a true story
Bring Relief
When there are so many mouths to feed
Missionaries and Deacons we do need
With so much energy, they do express
We must try to straighten out this mess
Unless you had a change of heart
Saturday at St. James we should start
A "Crazy Christians" discussion group
About its meaning along with latest poop
She sure is so great at public speaking
Deacon Jean we are always seeking
She reads God's gospel from church's center
As into us God's spirit will always enter
This message was meant for you my friend
And another one of my emails I shall send
Which may be so simple and very brief
God said, "Your religion should bring relief."
James Serious Mysterious Horn