I am happy to say that my reciting is still in the present tense! I still try and slip an odd poem into a set if I can.

among my repertoire I include Scads of Shakespeare, Lewis Carrol (Twas Brillig..Dave?), Kipling, Robert Service, TS Eliot Stan Marriot and acres of poetry from schooldays

My problem is the opposite one unless I'm playing I can't remember the chords!

Into the street the piper stepped
Smiling at first a secret smile
as if he knew what magic slept
In his quiet pipe the while....