What Is Poetry?
There are just some things that high school and even college can’t teach you. They can teach you to rhyme in elaborate meters like Shakespeare and make the most mundane phrases sound pretty. In a sense, this is poetry, but not in the way I like to see it.
I like when people can look at something and see something completely different from what everyone else sees. Sometimes they’re lonely or misunderstood because of the way they think and view the world. When they speak, people might look at them funny and think that they’re weird. If something or someone holds some kind of special meaning to you that other people might not understand, that’s where poetry (and art) starts. The idea of it is the soul. If you happen to write it down or give it some other tangible form, you’ve given it the body. Now it can walk around, speak to people and cause change in the world. It can help people to understand the way you see things, no matter how strange.
How much different are we from poems? We don’t always have to rhyme or even make sense to explain ourselves to the world, as long we make sense to ourselves. If you don’t make sense to yourself, are you still being true to yourself?
Poe looked at the world and saw his own personal hell. He wrote things that gave voice to the feelings in others, who feel like they are in hell.
“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.” – Edgar Allan Poe
Andy Warhol viewed the world differently–in bright, vivid colors where there weren’t any. He gave these views life and let us see what he saw.
“You have to do stuff that average people don’t understand, because those are the only good things.” – Andy Warhol
Walt Whitman’s poems gave emotions and thoughts to everyday events–the things that people would pass right by and not even notice. He saw reality the way it was, but experienced it to the height of all his senses.
“I believe in the flesh and the appetites,
Seeing, hearing, feeling, are miracles, and each part and tag of me is a miracle.” – Walt Whitman, Song Of Myself
There are tons of other great poets and artists, past and present, that continue to help us see the world in an entirely different way, but there isn’t enough time or internet space to list them all here. 
~~Discussion questions~~
Has anyone helped you change the way you see the world or view life?
What poet/author/artist/musician do you identify with in how you view life?
March 16th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
That’s so true that poetry shows the way people look at life. Good point there.
I don’t know if anyone has helped me change the way I view my life, except maybe the book Feeling Good by David Burns (it’s $8). It told me how I CHOOSE my feelings and that you don’t just feel the way you do because you do.
I would think that Dave Matthews Band kind of reflects my view. Things aren’t always pretty but there’s a story and reason behind everything. It’s funny the way the world works and we’re a mess of very different people going about our ways in all sorts of adventures. The things we have are love and beauty…
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March 16th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
True. Most poetry is personal. Written through the eyes of one person trying to discover the meaning of life. trying to understand why they loves some things and hate others. Why people are so complicated, and capable of such cruelty and kindness.
I don’t particularly think anyone has changed my view on life. I think mostly what I’ve seen, felt, and experienced has. As we grow we change, we do this because of the moments of our lives. Ones that make us and break us.
Artists I identify with when it comes to my view on life? Well that’s a tough one. I admire the dreams of John Lennon, and believe we should work to change the world for the better. I understand the woe of Poe, and respect is courage to speak his mind. Though to pick someone to describe to my core all my feelings of lie is impossible. I could pick many, but it might take a while.
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March 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Dorothy Parker. For some reason, I have always felt that she really was an inspirational individual – especially for women. She seemed so strong and brazen – she succeeded in a man’s world; and her words still translate perfectly in today’s society!!
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March 17th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Some really deep points and question – but it’s so true. It’s hard for schools to teach enthusiasm and wider thought when learning is based so much around memorising things.
I can’t choose just one poet who’s inspired me, I’d say that the Romantics were pretty inspirational though. And I also like ee cummings.
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