Poetry. The lyrics to my favorite song, the words used to describe the first day of spring, the ideas that circulate at poetry slams. Poetry. The soul-nourishing outlet that can help one eloquently say how he/she feels or where one can identify with how others feel.
When I hear the word poetry, many different ideas and phrases come to mind. I have a soft spot for poetry. As an avid reader and writer, I’m not too certain how anyone lives without it. It surrounds us and puts feelings into words. Poetry is for anyone and for everyone. I say this because it is so organic. It is raw and pure, a space where anything can be discussed and can take on many forms.
From the classics that we have all heard:
To haikus:
Matsuo Basho
Or poems from children’s books:
Dr. Suess
To feminist poetry:
Or simple poems that are so strong in meaning:
Nayyirrah Waheed
To slam poetry and spoken word:
Or song lyrics:
Bon Iver
And everything else in between:
There are so many poems and poets that aren’t included here that have great work and have impacted me personally. This selection certainly doesn’t encompass all that poetry is. Whether you already love poetry or don't, now is the perfect time to explore it a bit more! April is National Poetry Month and that means there are many poems (new and old) circulating.
And, in addition, there is a poetry challenge this month to write a poem a day. I know that sounds very intimidating and it truly is a challenge (I'm doing it and it's definitely tough), but also really fun! The hashtag that is being used is: #NaPoWriMo. You can find prompts online that can give you some guidance or you can write about whatever you choose. Even if you aren't interested in writing poetry, exploring poetry with this hashtag will showcase just how diverse it can be.
But if you ARE interested in trying the challenge and writing poetry, do it with me! There isn't a lot of pressure because poetry can be about anything and you don't HAVE to write every single day or write something profound and extensive every time. You can even just write one poem this month, no judgment y'all. Or write a one liner. It is a matter of finding what speaks to you and giving it a chance. That is the only guideline and there are no restrictions. Let your creativity flow. Express yourself however you desire and be true to you. You'd be surprised, but somebody somewhere will probably relate. Just give it a chance, I think we can all learn a thing or two from exploring poetry on our own and for fun.
As you can see, we all need poetry.
Additional Poets for Exploration:
Lang Leav
Nick Miller
Shel Silverstein
Rupi Kaur
Nayyirah Waheed
Rumi
Yrsa-Daley Ward
Nikita Gil
Bianca Sparacino
Michael Faudet
Christopher Poindexter
Margaret Atwood
Sylvia Plath
W.B. Yeats
E.E. Cummings
Emily Dickinson
Walt Whitman
Dante
Just to name a few.
