Poetry

Words are like water. They can be anything, mean anything—and yet they shape everything. They are all around us. 

Poetry, like any other style of writing, is the gathering of words onto a page, into a breath. Yet unlike an essay, or a story, poetry is formless, limitless. Poetry, at the very least, will make you blink; a powerful poem will make you want to cry, or laugh. Poetry is life changing, thought-provoking, and -–perhaps most importantly—beautiful, and unique. 

Why should you read poetry? It can be quiet. A breath of peace in a loud, busy world; a small moment of magic in the everyday. It can also be loud, an intriguing wake-up call, a cry for action, something that needs to be heard. Poetry is inspiring. And it can be healing—not just to read, but to write.

Why should you write poetry? Because words are magical. Because in writing, you discover parts of yourself you never knew existed. Because in the act of creation, you find release, understanding, and connection. Sometimes poetry is a truth just for you, and sometimes the world needs it. It is the expression of life, a way to make sense of the world.

Poetry isn’t just a bunch of rhyming words. There are ever so many ways to write poetry, outside of the rhyme schemes and stanzas we learn about in school. Of course, formal poems like this can be incredible, but there’s more to life than perfect, conformed writing. Free verse is the poetry that has no rules or form—for some, like breathing, or journaling, it can be a way of expressing themselves. It is not conformed in any way, as it doesn't rhyme, and the lines and stanzas can be of any length. Other, more structured styles of poetry include sonnets, limericks, and traditional or cultural poems such as haikus.   

I hope that to those of you who understand poetry this was a reminder to connect, again, with a poem or two; and for those of you who are newer here, I hope that this has opened your eyes to a new way of reading and writing poetry. Whoever you are, may poetry guide you through the darkest—and the brightest—parts of your life.