Photo by Caitlin Havens
I’ve recently come across varying opinions on poetry. The main topic of conversation being whether or not it’s still a valid form of writing, and a big argument on whether or not we should still read and write poetry. It’s a half-and-half situation — some opinions are very positive, and the others are extremely negative. I’ll never understand why some people don’t like poetry as a form of writing, but I’m here to explain why I think it’s one of the best forms.
Poetry gives its reader a creative way to feel
And even the opportunity to feel more than what the writer anticipates. Because of its open-endedness, the writing begins to describe feelings the reader may not have the means to describe. While this can be an issue in taking the writer’s original message away, the reader is still impacted by it.
Poetry can also change with its reader
Reading a poem when you’re 16 is different when you read that same poem at 21. The poem reads the same, but you leave with a new message. Maybe you now know the writer’s message, or you’ve experienced feelings that the poem is trying to convey so it becomes easier to understand the writing —either way, you feel emotion that isn’t only yours.
The form is very personal
The way someone writes tells a reader a lot about that person. Expressing emotion through poetry, rather than through long-form essay or story, is tough. If the writer decides poetry is the correct way to express how they feel, they may think in fragments or rhythms. You get a sneak peek into who this person is and how they think. The reader is in their mind, watching the writer’s thoughts and stepping into their shoes.
It can be imaginative
Again, because of the open-endedness, poetry can read as something much different from the writers intended message. The vagueness and metaphorical characters can create an entirely new way of seeing things for the reader. A poem can be about a flower, so write what you see. The reader doesn’t see the flower the same as the writer and gaining a new perspective opens minds to new possibilities.
Poetry is writing that can connect reader with writer in so many ways. It creates an intimate relationship and that relationship differs for each viewer. Third-year animation student Annika Hampton said “Poetry is a form of expressionism that lingers in the back of your mind for a while.”
The poems you read turn into reflection, then eventually, your own expression.
