How to read a long poem

how to read a long poem:

whisper the lines aloud

softly

stop and perhaps reflect 

‘oh my God that is perfect’

read the line again for confirmation

I learned this from hearing the poet 

David Whyte read:

he stopped and reread the lines for emphasis

but softly 

so as not to bang you over the head with it

but to allow you the gift of the moment 

to embrace it

to breathe in its essence

to slow down 

and 

dwell 

there with the writer and 

comprehend, to hear them speak 

to hear them speak

to hear

them 

speak