What is Poetry In Voice?
Poetry In Voice/Les voix de la poésie is a charitable organization that encourages Canadian students to fall in love with poetry through reading, recitation, and writing.
All of our materials are available for free: English and French anthologies, teacher resources, and student recitation competitions, where we award over $75,000 in travel and prizes annually.
Poetry In Voice/Les voix de la poésie was founded in 2010 by Scott Griffin, Chairman and founder of The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry.
“Poetry In Voice has become a cultural force in Canada. The poems students memorize will be with them all their lives.”
— Margaret Atwood
We’re Growing
We began in 2010, with students from 12 Ontario schools.
In 2011, students in Quebec joined.
And in 2012, the contest was opened to students from across Canada.
By 2017, 2085 schools have taken part. That’s ⅕ of high schools in Canada!
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
Since 2010...
Our poems have been read over
times
students have recited a poem
Teachers have read our lesson plans
times
teachers have created an account
in prizes, travel, and accommodation awarded
Read
Memorize
Recite
Public Speaking Skills
Language Appreciation
Cultural Understanding
A Poem Forever
“Using such little words, just a page, you can describe issues that have been around for so long, very broad issues [...] I didn’t know poetry could be so educational to others on issues going around in this world.”
— Tsion Berie, Student
“The National Finals is a great show. These students dig really deep and add a unique texture and weight to each poem they recite. Their performances blew me away.”
— David Usher, musician and author
“I discovered poetry [with Poetry In Voice]. Reading poems used to be boring.”
— Marianne Verville, student
“With Poetry In Voice, we are able to plant seeds and harvest results right away. From the moment the students get a taste of poetry, they don’t want to stop. It is a wonderful experience!”
— Sophie Gamache, teacher
“Poetry is hardly taught in high school. But your contest makes it so easy to bring it into the classroom.”
— Marie-Andrée Arsenault, teacher
“Poetry In Voice is an astonishing tribute to poetry — one of the greatest ideas to emerge in the world of literature in Canada in recent years!”
— The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson
“It’s been an amazing transition for Tiffany. From ‘I don’t want to do it, Mr. Ross’ to placing in the top 6 in the country. It’s been life-altering for her and for her teacher.”
— Elaine Barrett, teacher
“To recite a poem is to let oneself go to the precision of words, it is to express a range of perceptions with force and conciseness. Poetry In Voice allows young people to make their sensibilities and emotions heard and to communicate to us an entire world through the language of poets.”
— Pierre Nepveu, poet
“I actually got to know my students a lot better because they got to choose poems that really reflected their interests and really spoke to them.”
— Ayanna Toney, teacher
“Recitation takes the poet’s words and brings them to life.”
— Pearl Zaki, student