Swoon!: The Recital

Back in the day, people used to have to memorize texts for school, to keep a few lines of prose or poetry in their hearts at all times, easily accessible in any situation. This practice has mostly gone to the wayside--no longer do whole classrooms of miserable schoolchildren have to recite "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by heart--but it begs the question: what text would you choose to burn into your brain if you could choose anything at all?

The Recital is a new literary series where we want you to answer that question. Writers and performers will each recite a 1–3 minute piece of their choice. The only real rule is that the memorized text cannot be their own; otherwise, anything goes.

Hosted by Rachel Syme and Maris Kreizman.