Poetry seems to be the only thing that is more useful in this boring, utilitarian age. It is what good it is. It is not easy to make a living writing poetry or publishing it.
Second, though, it is very practical to read and write poetry. Our techno-utilitarian age is so focused upon utility and economy that poetry is vital.
For a brief moment, think about the practicality that poetry can bring to your life. It's good for your mind to read and write poetry. It's good exercise for the brain. It can stretch your linguistic faculties in a way that pays off.
Reading poetry is good for your health. First, it is emotionally charged. Poetry engages the most neglected organ in academia, the heart. Reading poetry does not mean understanding the rhyme scheme or writing a paper on the metaphysical conceits. A poem is a way to express emotion. Or you won't be able to feel the poem. This is essential because academia demands that you be objective and scientific in all situations. "Forget science already!" declares the poet. We want passion, not pie chart! Poetry is a way to engage your emotions. It does this in a rational, structured manner. Poetry is intelligent. Poetry is intelligent. Emotion by itself is just sentimentality. Classic poetry incorporates emotion and intellect in order to create a noble human experience.
Reading poetry can also increase your linguistic abilities. You will be able to expand your vocabulary and think more clearly. Poetry challenges your thinking process. Poetry forces you to think outside the box and solves difficult passages. "What does Eliot mean by "Lady The Three White Leopards"? He writes "Lady, the three white-colored leopards sat underneath the juniper tree under the cool afternoon sun, having fed to my legs. My heart and liver were satisfied." This is hard work that is rewarding. As you struggle, your mind discovers new things. You're learning new vocabulary, understanding and articulating more. It's an exciting time.
Reading poetry can help you expand your imagination. You must look at the world in a different way to understand a poem. The poet connects in ways that no one else can. To understand, you need to get out of your rut and double-check what reality is. Emily Dickinson observed that a narrow man in the grass sometimes rides …"?. Ah! It's actually a snake. It's a snake. You can expand your view of reality by stretching your imagination. There are many things that aren't as they seem. They are much more than you think they are, and this is why education is so important.
Reading poetry can be hard. Writing poetry is more difficult. Robert Frost stated, "Writing libre verse is like playing tennis with no net." Free verse is the easiest thing on the planet. It is a common practice for seventh-graders. As a monk is not permitted to become a hermit after twenty-five year, so it's not a good idea to write free verse before you've learned all the formal forms.
Write poetry with rhyme and rhythm. Write sonnets or terza Rima. Write a ballad, villanelle, ode, or sestina. There are three types of formal poetry that can be used.
First, you can write poetry. This is similar to reading poetry. It is important to write poems about things you love. This will force you to look at your emotions and allow you to communicate the emotion in the poem. The final couplet of the stanzas should make the reader say "Aha!" This is the moment when enlightenment meets emotion. This is difficult, but once you master it you will be able to control your emotions and not just let them take over. Channeled emotions are much more powerful and lasting than the sweeping flood of overwhelming emotions. It is the most powerful emotion to combine with an exercise in the intellect.
Second, writing poetry makes you think creatively and can even bend your mind. Poetry is about making unusual connections.
Everyone can see black dogs with white collars, but poets see black priests wearing white collars that bind and release them both simultaneously. He sees the black dog serving a white God who is "dog", backwards. The poets were also jokers. They were also jokers. They were comedians. Their connections opened up the perceptions of their audience. They saw beauty, truth, and the world in a new and exciting way.
Third, poetry can be a practical way to learn. Let me illustrate this by saying that you are writing an essay about your future bride and are planning to buy her an engagement band. You're scratching your brain and trying to find the right word to rhyme with "jewel" so you start biting your nails. You find "cruel." Your imagination suddenly leaps into darkness. Maybe this sweet and beautiful love is cruel. It is cruel! Are you cruel? Are you cruel? Is it cruel to love? What do you see? Poetry is a creative linguistic activity because it involves finding rhymes.
Last, poetry uses metaphors to express meaning. Poetry is an art that enables you to see and understand the deeper meanings of things. Poetry allows you to search for the meaning you are looking for and allows you to express it. Poetry is a way to dig deeper in a world where meaning seems ever less.
It is worth it. Writing poetry isn't going to make you famous or bring you fortune. Poets are starving. Because communicating with others is essential to your future success.
Poetry can be a way to connect with your emotions and make connections. No matter your profession, writing and reading poetry can help you develop your imagination. The best thing about poetry is that it will help you expand your view, see the big picture and find meaning in a chaotic environment.
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