Poetry seems to be an acquired taste for some people, especially for those who fully understand it. For me, I had trouble with poetry throughout my whole high school career and as well as in college. Like, why did I put myself through a creative writing poetry course? Oh yeah, because it fit my schedule and requirements to graduate.
Poetry isn’t all bad though, right? When I was in high school, I usually just BS’d my way through the poetry portion of the quarter. For some reason, the classic form of literature never really clicked for me, and my high school experience wasn’t that helpful when it came to understanding it. In fact, during the whole experience, multiple questions floated through my mind that I was too embarrassed to ask. Here are some painful examples.
1. What are they saying?
I get it, Shakespeare and Dickinson are really, really, really important to the world of literature, but it doesn’t help my grade when I don’t know what the hell they’re talking about. And who's to say they weren't being literal? Why does everything have to have a metaphorical meaning? Sometimes a flower is just a flower.
2. You want me to break down that?
First of all, what does Robert Sullivan mean by “My old friend, I wonder how far north you travel?" Is he literally talking to a person or the North Road, like in the title? Or am I overthinking? Probably the latter.
3. Can we take it line by line?
You need to give me more than 15 minutes to break down this poem. I mean, did John Donne write it in 15 minutes? Probably not.
4. What about word by word?
I don't speak Elizabethan! And I know you don't either, but you have a cheat sheet.
5. You want me to write my own poem?
You tell me to express myself, to pour out my feelings and thoughts to make the reader “feel something,” but then critique me over everything, because that makes sense. *Cue eyeroll.*
6. A 20 page paper on one poem?
You, my lovely, lovely teacher, are mental.
7. I have better things to do than see a slam poet.
Yes, OK, I will admit, seeing someone’s poem read aloud is kind of cool, but where did those weird hand and arm movements come from? Were they OK?
8. Can’t we just read a Shakespeare play instead?
Shouldn’t have requested that.
9. Why is there homework?
Now you’re going to leave me alone with three different poems to read, understand, and write a response about? A response to what, exactly?
10. Don't make me read my work out loud! Please, oh God!
This is my worst nightmare come to life!
11. I got an A?
Really? How? I’m not complaining, just curious.
