Tolkien is great poetry? He's recitable, certainly, and his translations of 'The Pearl' or 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' are justly lauded; but his own poetry isn't too great.

Try reciting "Troll sat alone on his seat of stone" with a rap beat to it... (Up came Tom/with his big boots on/and said to Troll,/Pray what is yon?!)

If that's not great, what is? ;-)