A second method for poached eggs, more suited to newbies or teaching your 7 year old son/daughter is the teacup method:
As mentioned above, you want a slow boil, and you want vinegar and possibly a little salt in the water to keep the eggs contained. Rather than stirring the water though - the whirlpool method employed by hardcore egg-poachers - crack the egg into a teacup instead. Lower the teacup into the water, and then quickly overturn it. If you hold the teacup there for a second after tipping, it will prevent the whites from spreading and your recipient will never know you cheated.
This method has the additional advantage, for those not so swift at egg-cracking on the first try, of giving you a test-bed, the teacup. That way you can pick out shell bits, or just throw away eggs that didn't work.
Two final tips on the perfect poached egg: use eggs as fresh as you can get them. Buy a hen. Whatever. The fresher the egg, the less diffusion of the whites you'll notice, making for a tighter package. Also, watch your yolks. Since the eggs float while boiling, and since you're remembering to use only a slow boil, the yolk will sometimes not get enough heat to cook fully. If you notice this happening, splash a little water over the egg.