I never quite understand people who say they don’t like poetry. I believe the problem though is how they define it. Their definition is far, far too narrow. And the poetry that fits their definition does not appeal to them. But because of their definition, they have cut themselves off from the rest of the world of poetry, and are truly missing out on much of the beauty of the world.
It is similar to what could happen in other areas. If your only definition of art is oil paintings, you will see some beautiful pieces of art, but you miss out on sculpture, water color, carving, textiles, photography, calligraphy, acrylics, weaving, quilting, beading, metal work, and on and on. And that is just visual arts. That isn’t even counting the performing arts. If oil paintings don’t appeal to you and you conclude you thus don’t like art, how logical is that?
To take it even further, if you define fruit as apples, you could get some good examples and even make a pie. But you’d be missing out on the delicious experience that is black berries and mangos and oranges and strawberries, just to name a few.
So it would seem we need a better definition of poetry. I propose that poetry be defined as anything that is not prose. And with that, there should be something for everyone to like. The task then becomes finding what speaks to you.
Have you ever seen a dance, heard a song, seen a play or movie, read a book, something that struck a chord somewhere deep inside you? Something that resonated with a feeling, emotion, or thought inside? Why did it strike you the way it did? It is because on some level you are able to relate to it. And it is that ability to relate that draws you in. When you can relate to something you like it more.
A few weeks ago there were two dances on the show “So You Think You Can Dance” that to me were a bit like poetry in motion (dance 1; dance 2). The way they moved to the music expressed beautifully emotions I could relate to. And that is what poetry should do when you find the ones you like. Very few of the dances on that show touch me like that. I do not expect them to. It is the same with poetry. Not all of it will appeal to someone or speak to them. Just find the ones that do.
It is not necessarily that you would think poetry watching a dance, hearing a song, or seeing a painting. But I have the same connection to things like that as I do to poetry. It’s that emotional connection. I love poetry, but the ones I love the most are the ones I can connect to, that resonate with a memory or a feeling I have within. When you can make that connection to poetry, find a poem or an author that does that, that is when poetry starts to become beautiful.
I am of the opinion that most poetry lessons in English class do more to hurt the cause of poetry than help. They lead people to believe that poetry is formal, must rhyme, and has meaning beyond the comprehension of the general public. And none of that is true. I think it is going to be one of my life long crusades to change that.
I am an educator and PhD. I quilt, belly dance, run, read, and try to grow things. I am a Mormon. I am infertile. I am a daughter, sister, aunt, grand-daughter, friend, wife, and mom.
Brett L. Dennis
Mama g
Giggles
AmandaStretch
“I think it is going to be one of my life long crusades to change that.”
Good! I think you should do that! I agree with you that many people (perhaps including myself) give themselves too-narrow delimitors for recognizing poetry. I *try* to be aware of that in myself, but I’m sure I often fail. Part of my trouble I think is that I find so little in the wide world of poetry that DOES resonate with me. Love That Dog was one, definitely. Here and there I find others, bits and pieces, but by and large not much I’ve come across has struck me dumb. And I also don’t make forays into the world of poetry too often to look for new stuff, too, which I’m sure hampers.
I hesitate to speak more because I know I tend to talk too much about myself when I should be focusing on what other people have said. But I think you did a good job at drawing the parallel between poetry and other forms of art. And fruit.
Last night I just watched an episode of Garden Story on the PBS Create station. It was about the poet Anne Spencer, and how her garden inspired her poetry, and in turn, how her poetry inspired her garden. It was beautiful. It made me want to go sit under a tree and read some of her poems. Or maybe write some of my own.
I was reading a physics blog about art, and at the end of the post, the author said: I might not know anything about art, y’all, but I dang sure know what I like.
I think that’s the key. You don’t have to have a degree in literature to like poetry. You just have to know you and know what you like.