Prayer Before Birth by Louis MacNeice
Hope you enjoy this recording of ‘Prayer Before Birth by Louis MacNeice ‘ which was performed by my student Estée Spencer as part of her LAMDA Grade 8 Verse & Prose exam (Gold Medal). You will also find a transcript of the poem below.
It’s an extraordinary poem — the words of an unborn child considering the harsh world he or she will be born into.
This poem can also be use with the New Era Academy Syllabus.
Some interesting links below along with a note of Estée’s other choices. If you have time add your comments and thoughts on this poem in the comments box at the end.
This wonderful poem is currently part of LAMDA’s Grade 8 (Gold Medal) Verse & Prose Syllabus. Estée’s other selections for this exam were –
- Prose: ‘How to build a Girl, by Caitlin Moran’
- Shakespearean Sonnet: Sonnet 18
Check our some other exam work << here >>
Thank you to Demi Hopkins for permission to use photos from Estée photo shoot last year.
LINKS
Books (student offer available on books below- get £10 off on £40 spend)
- Poems by Louis MacNeice << here >>
- How to Build a Girl, by Caitlin Moran << here >>
- The complete Sonnets & Poems by Shakespeare << here >>
Other
Originally published at beverleyjordan.com on October 11, 2017.
Comment left by Janet Ann Hewett on OCTOBER 16, 2017 AT 10:35 AM
“Thank you. I know this poem from a long time ago. Hearing it expressed so beautifully by a young voice was a pleasure. Albeit a pleasure tinged with regret and outrage for the relevance of MacNeice’s sentiments are as telling today. In fact more so. Best wishes, Estee.”
