Long poems to easily memorize?

Question

I have a project due in English III and we have to memorize a poem longer than twas the night before christmas and it can't be anybody else's poems (written below) Thanks for all of your help.
Poems already taken:
The Raven
Twas the night before christmas

Answer 1

Rime of the Ancient Mariner

It's a good poem and fairly easy to memorize.

Actually, I think this is a terrible assignment, but not surprising in a school that requires you to wear black penny loafers. I like black penny loafers, but I would hate somebody requiring me to wear them every day. I even like to memorize poetry, but I would hate an assignment that made me choose one long poem.

If I were you, I would ask the teacher if I could put together a program of my favorite or especially interesting short poems, say of one poet such as Robert Frost. Or from one period, say pre-modern, including Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and Gerard Manley Hopkins (all 19th century poets who led into the experimental poetry of the 20th century). Or on a special topic or theme of interest to me. I have a whole collection of favorite poems on basketball, and another fun group about teachers (but then that one might be too much fun!).

Another long one would be "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd," but I find Whitman difficult to memorize. Then there's always Allen Ginsburg's "Howl." But I'm not sure you could do that one in black penny loafers.

One of my favorites long poems to read aloud is "David" by the Canadian poet Earle Birney. It's a gripping read -- about mountain climbing -- with a tragic ending. But I fear it would be very difficult to memorize. It begins

David and I that summer cut trails on the Survey,
All week in the valley for wages, in air that was steeped
In the wail of mosquitoes, but over the sunalive week-ends
We climbed, to get from the ruck of the camp, the surly

Poker, the wrangling, the snoring under the fetid
Tents, and because we had joy in our lengthening coltish
Muscles, and mountains for David were made to see over,
Stairs from the valleys and steps to the sun's retreats. [1]

The important thing, in choosing a poem for this assignment, is that you should find something that you really like, find important, and want to spend that much time on. Otherwise, this could just make you HATE poetry.

Answer 2

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now Is hung with bloom along the bough, And stands about the woodland ride Wearing white for Eastertide. Now of my threescore years and ten, Twenty will not come again, And take from seventy springs a score, It only leaves me fifty more. And since to look at things in bloom Fifty springs are little room, About the woodlands I will go To see the cherry hung with snow. (The Loveliest of Trees - Houseman)

Answer 3

Annabelle Lee by Edgar Allen Poe is really easy to memorize

Answer 4

I like the Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. It is about deciding what path to take in life.