Learn About
Poetry
What
is Poetry?
by: Brian
Dominguez
Poetry by definition is writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning, sound, and rhythm. That is a generic representation of what poetry actually is. I am convinced that poetry is more than that. I think that poetry is a window into the feelings and fears of the poet. Simply put Poetry is Emotions on paper. Over the years there have been many misconceptions made about the art of poetry and I have compiled a Mock top ten list of these.
10. Poetry has to rhyme
--poetry does not have to have rhythm or rhyme it simply has to covey the emotion or emotions the author is experiencing at the moment.9. Poetry has to make sense
--how many times have you woken up to be confused by your dreams? It is no secret that the human brain does not think rationally when there are feelings of anger or fear about the person. Don't try to make sense of a poem, try to feel what it is telling you.8. Not Everyone can Write Poetry
--If you have ever been sad, mad, happy, or scared, and can describe how that felt down to the slightest detail? then you are a natural poet. To some the flow isn't that natural but. That is when the author takes his raw material (fresh from the brain) and begins to sort through it to weed out the stray thoughts and emotional garbage.7. Only Beatniks write poetry
--The term "beatnik" comes from the early Poets in the cafés and coffee bars. these people were free spirited individuals that presented their poetry in such a way that it finally stood out as an art form, but they have taught us that the power of word lies in all of us and they showed us how to reveal it.6. Poetry HAS to have punctuation.
--The only reason that a poet needs to use punctuation is to let the reader know where to pause, stop, or end a sentence. Each individual will use this to their own discretion and its use effectively defines the character of the author5. Men Don't write poetry.
--This misconception has been created by the male ego and macho image. But when you think about it those macho guys and big headed studs do not show emotion that well. I am aware of a few exceptions but the majority do not show physical emotion other than anger and rage. Poetry is a means to release the emotions bottled up inside and make the pressure of everyday Life a little easier to deal with.4. Poetry has no meaning.
--poetry is all about meaning. The goal of a poet is to make the reader feel the situation being described. That sparks meaning in that individual. If you have ever read a poem and it reminded you of a special time when you were happy or sad then it had meaning for you. If you hear a really good song on the radio that was popular the summer that you met your first love then that song takes you back to that time...it has meaning. As does Poetry.3. There is No Point to Poetry.
--This is again, I think, associated with the male ego. The most common thing for a man to do is explain something by saying "there is no point to that, and that's it!" It all has to do with the poet, I use poetry to vent emotions and feelings that I have that I cannot articulate in concrete words at the precise moment I experience them, to me Poetry has a big point. . . it keeps me sane.2. Poetry is only useful in Greeting Cards.
--Greeting cards have been an easy way to get special feelings across for years but it all goes back to the art form. Select poets have given their poems to the card companies to market to the public for use when they cannot find the words. This is what a poet does whether or not it is in a greeting card.1. Roses are Red, Violets are Blue. . . Is a good poem.
--This poem has to be the simplest form of generic poetry. It is what you think of when poetry is mentioned. It is useful for humor but as for art it is not. We as poets have used this in grade school to tell that girl you have a crush on that you like her, but it doesn't go beyond that. We can make better use of this magnificent English language than this poet did...I would be interested in finding out who the first author was of this milestone in poetry.After reading this I hope you have a little better understanding of the art form and its counter-parts. Since Poetry is the purest form of expression that we have. I would encourage you to sit down and try to write your very own poem and let people read it. After viewing the readers response to the poem you will know if it does its job or not. It is a wonderful thing that we never should let die. I am going to include in this essay a poem I wrote when I was at the bottom of the barrel.
Success in Depression
Lifeless and limp
I lay on an altar
Awaiting the sacrifice
Of my futile emotions
Black love is eating my soul
And diseased demons
Ravage my self esteem
I am falling down an abyss
Created by life's inconsistencies
My head is spinning
I am at the point of no return
Destined to be insignificant and ill-important
Love and respect left me years ago
And now those dark minions are waiting for me to give in
The hounds of hell are snarling
The benefits of life are shrinking
A point is absent in my life
Weakening with every breath
I begin the spiral downward
Here comes the eternal depression of a tortured soul
The end is near
I am inching closer
closer to my Destiny
--Brian Dominguez
Thank you for your time and I encourage you to check out the work by all the authors and try to relate their work to your life. Then and only then can you appreciate the true meaning of poetry.
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