"Poetry should... should strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts, and appear almost a remembrance." - John Keats
I grew up reading poetry; words have always influenced me just as much as a person would. Poetry has taught me about feminism, love, loss, heartache, happiness, life, and even myself. There are so many amazing writers throughout the world, but some words have been so grand that they've stuck with me throughout my entire life. Keats was right when he said that poetry should be reflective of the reader's thoughts and memories; good poetry makes a person stop for a moment and think. Good poetry will tear you apart as it forces you to finally confront something you've kept hidden away for so long. Good poetry serves as a light in your life that you hadn't known you needed until now.
“I think I would like to call myself 'The girl who wanted to be God.' Yet if I were not in this body, where would I be—perhaps I am destined to be classified and qualified. But, oh, I cry out against it. I am I—I am powerful—but to what extent? I am I.” - Sylvia Plath
Feminism.
Plath taught me to be my entire self and to hold back nothing. She taught me to be big, even if it meant being bigger than the boys.
“Publication- is the Auction
Of the Mind of Man-
Poverty- be justifying
For so foul a thing.” - Emily Dickinson
Art for the sake of art.
Among many other things, Dickinson taught me to not write for the sake of an audience, write because you feel. Write because you have words in your soul that need to be yelled and scrawled on a page.
“Drink from the well
of yourself
and begin
again.” - Charles Bukowski
Do not stop.
Life has a way of wearing us down, people have a way of breaking us. You cannot stop, you must pick yourself back up and begin again. Life is too short to stay down.
“I am larger, better than I thought,
I did not know I held so much goodness.
All seems beautiful to me…
Whoever denies me it shall not trouble me,
Whoever accepts me he or she shall be blessed and shall bless me.” - Walt Whitman
Love yourself, love your life.
Love yourself so that others may love you, and you may love them just as much. Lead a life with so much joy and compassion that others will want to live with just as much love as you do.
“Promise me
you will not spend
so much time
treading water
and trying to keep your
head above the waves
that you forget,
truly forget,
how much you have
always loved
to swim.” - Tyler Knott Gregson
Try to not live so cautiously.
Being cautious in life is okay to an extent, but if you live with too much caution then you’ll end up missing out on all the beautiful things life has to offer.
