Poetry is one of the various genres of writing. From haikus, to spoken word, to a ballad, poems have ways of finding themselves in our classroom. For those of you who either may be a writing (or English) major, or are currently taking a composition class, you will see poems about a million times before you graduate. It is something that is taught over and over again in today's schools across the country. But often times, some people claim that they just "don't like poetry." That it's too "hard" or "complex" for people. While I would often disagree with people who make these assertions, I have to agree that, personally, poetry is just not my thing. But I still make the effort to try to understand it the best I can. However, these are most common reasons why poetry just can't get through to some people.
1. "I don't understand it."
Poetry really isn't that hard to understand. Well, it may be hard at the beginning, but it gets easier after a few reads. Understanding poems is the key that unlocks your view on poetry as a whole. If you don't understand it or never try to, then the door will remain closed. But if you try and put effort into understanding something, then the door will open to many possibilities. Its just like studying material for a test. If you do not try to understand a subject, then you are more likely to fail at your goal than if you were making an effort to understand it.
2. "I can't write it."
This one is a bit trickier. Writing poetry is not the same as reading poetry. For reading, you try to figure out what the narrator and author are trying to convey, and often times, you try to relate to it. But when writing poetry, most people have a hard time trying to find the right words to say--the right words to express their feelings. My advice would be to jot down ideas and an initial draft of a poem. It doesn't have to be something great or long the first time, just a basis that you can build off of.
3. "It has to be long."
Not all poems need to be long. Sure, if you have read a poem in an english class, most are long with very descriptive words, but take R. M. Broderick for example. All of his poems are somewhere between 5 to 10 lines long. Short and concise poems can be just as effective.
4. "Its not relatable."
Poems are typically thought of something that embodies a strong emotion or situation, and most of the time, we can relate to them. But not all poems need to be. You can write or read a poem about moths and it may not affect you or other people in a certain way, but it could still be a very pleasant read.
