The first poem I memorized was T.S. Elliot’s “Preludes” and the experience was amazing. I know it may seem silly, but there is something so rewarding in being able to recite a poem, more to yourself then other people. Being a poet, there is something you learn about the sound of words and the structure of a poem that you could never fully learn without committing it to memory and investing the amount of time it take to do that. I thank my creative writing teacher for suggesting this and I am glad I followed her advice!