How do you define poetry?

Poetry. Defined by the dictionary: The literary work in which the expression of feelings and ideas is given intensity by the use of distinctive style and rhythm; poems collectively or as a genre of literature. Or, in more simple terms, the use of literature in a distinctive rhythm to convey feelings or ideas. It is often hard to define poetry, its writing and styles are so varied, yet they all fall under one category, and we turn back to it every time.

From the year 1300 during the Renaissance, to Modern poetry; at every wedding, funeral, service and celebration, we recite, perform and listen to poetry. In the words of Ellen Bass, famous poet and teacher, “[poetry] can help us take a step toward accepting our painful experience, so we don’t have to fight so hard against it.” Humans continue to rely on poetry, even in the modern era, and it has become an important part of our everyday lives and culture.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Oscar Wilde, William Shakespeare, names all too familiar, from different parts of the world, all born in a different time, but they all have one thing in common. Poetry. These next few weeks, I will be diving deeper into the idea of poetry, and sharing with you some of my discoveries I find through things I learn during my Aspire English class, and through my experiences in life . Like the sun rising over the horizon, this is the start of something amazing, and the next post might be worth appraising. See you then…