Sunday, September 19, 2010

Poetry and Me!

I used to think that I hated poetry.
I mean, everyone else hated poetry! What was up with this whole analyzation thing? And I had read a volume of Robert Frost's poems for school that I didn't enjoy. Sooo... I must hate poetry.

Which is idiotic logic. {Especially since I loved Shakespeare's plays and had read all his sonnets. *rolls eyes* I also loved various humourous poetry, such as Lewis Carroll and Shel Silverstein.}

I realized later, you can't just read one poet's work and decide you don't like poetry. That would be like reading a book, not liking it, and saying "I hate all books!" No, you just don't like that author.

So, there I was. Convinced I hated poetry. My brother, who also hates poetry, was complaining about this book of poetry he had to read for school. He especially disliked one poet in particular, Carl Sandburg.


I don't remember exactly how this came about but I ended up reading one of his poems titled I Sang:

I sang to you and the moon
But only the moon remembers.
I sang
O reckless free-hearted
free-throated rythms,
Even the moon remembers them
And is kind to me.



Being an offbeat kind of girl, I liked the fact that it didn't rhyme or follow a strong meter. {Obviously, I was not familiar with the term "free verse".}
"Hey, I like this!" I said joyfully to my brother.
He just rolled his eyes and said, "You would."

Since then, I have kept an open heart to poetry. I have discovered many new poets I love and enjoy. {Though you still won't find me analyzing poetry!! I am content to see in it what I want to see in it. Overanalyzation gets ridiculous!}

Now, I am saddened when I hear people say they hate poetry. Obviously, they haven't found the right poet for them. They have no idea what a wonderful thing they're missing!

9 comments:

  1. I agree! The author does have a lot to do with it. And some people like rhyme better, while others like free verse. The subject can make a lot of difference, too. I think it's kind of like art--there's so much variety! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was exactly the same. I used to really dislike poetry, and dread doing it at school. Partially, I think, because I'll never be a poet- I just cannot write poetry for the life of me! - and we always had to write it at school, which I hated as I was so embarassed by my work. Then I think I was just exposed to poets whose works just weren't to my tast, which was off-putting too. I think when I discovered Keats was when I really started to love it <3

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes, indeed, Marian! And that's why I love art and poetry so much. :)

    Same here, Minna! I dislike my attempts at poetry. They always sound so trite... {Aaand, I have to write a poem for school this week.}

    ReplyDelete
  4. yes i totally agree!
    right now i adore modern poetry byt young people because it's so raw and real and i can relate to it.
    i really like the poem above too.
    with love,

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yeah, I've read some new poetry that's really great!
    Glad you like it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey Melee!
    I love poetry :)
    What are some of your favourite poets? :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey there! I haven't seen you around in a while. :)
    Oh, hmm... let's see, I love Carl Sandburg {of course}, Christina Rossetti, Edna St. Vincent Millay, e. e. cummings...
    I just discovered a poet called Sara Teasdale who is wonderful!
    Who are some of your favourite poets? :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. @Melee, we seem to be interested in the same poets <3<3<3 just add Rabindranath Tagore, William Carlos Williams, and John Keats on your list! Of Sara Teasdale I have yet to read her works though..

    this is kind of trivial, but i also find it interesting that our blogs have similar themes with "midnight" in the titles and we both use the minima template :D

    ReplyDelete
  9. That's awesome! I like William Carlos Williams and Keats as well! I just haven't read as much of them. Though I've never heard of Rabindranath Tagore.

    Hehe, great minds think alike, I guess!! =D

    ReplyDelete

Silhouettes of a secret. A story told over a cuppa. Or perhaps just sitting on that stone bench, basking in the moonlight... and not saying anything at all.


("I can no other answer make but thanks, and thanks, and ever thanks." -Shakespeare, Twelfth Night)