Poetry can be difficult for students to read out loud. Some poems have structure. Others are free to move as they please. With so many varieties, students find they might trip over the words because they just can’t find the flow. 
That’s why paying close attention to punctuation is important.
One of our lessons at Jefferson Traditional involved a close look at Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven.”
We began the lesson having students read the poem without regard for punctuation. Then we had them read again, paying close attention. This time the students stood up, walking around the classroom as they read. At each punctuation mark, they changed direction. Combining movement with the act of reading, allowed the students to physicalize the poem. More importantly, it allowed them to recognize that punctuation is an important element of a poem or any written work.