As cliche as it sounds, poetry has helped me get through some of my hardest years. Knowing that I have the ability to write out my emotions and have them materialize on a sheet of paper or a screen in front of me is really something magical. However, when I try to share my poems with my friends, I’m met with a response that’s usually along the lines of “it seems good but I don’t know anything about poetry.” Why is that? Is poetry obsolete or just underground?

I’m clearly biased, but in my opinion, poetry is alive, but should really be given more credit. Some of the greatest poets of our time went virtually unnoticed, except for a few people here and there. Poetry in the late 20th and early 21st century has never been a “trend.” It’s never really been mainstream, which has its pros and cons. Con: Poetry will never truly be appreciated in the public eye. Pro: Having such a tight-knit and supportive community of poets online is extremely beneficial for budding wordsmiths. Unfortunately though, poetry in pop culture is seen as kind of an “emo” thing; it’s usually looked down upon and scoffed at. “Oh, you write poetry? You must have some kind of complex. You poor, tortured soul.” This is a real shame because it somewhat forces poetry-lovers underground, if you catch my drift. We’re forced to hide our passion for something because we’re scared it’s going to make us look mopey and weak, or get us made fun of. I know that I’ve certainly felt this way, but I can’t speak for everyone.

I’ve always considered poets to be magicians, philosophers, and mothers all rolled into one. We relate and empathize with the deeply humane struggles that plague us all. We trace these struggles back to certain things that we’ve all tried to bury within ourselves, and then we translate these emotions-nay, these demons- into words that other people can read and feel.