Why Should You Read Poetry? The Eldest Endless Escape
Whilst news and non-fiction may be more important than novels, poems and drama, it cannot be argued that the latter is less exciting. Unsurprisingly, poetry pre-dates forms of literature such as newspapers, leaflets and information brochures, proving that we are more interested in creativity than we think.
Poetry has a natural aptitude for telling a story or conveying emotions that we otherwise may not recognise, making it vital in helping us to understand who we are. In school, poetry is centralised around broken-down stanzas and speculations about form, but there is so much more to it than we think. Culturally, poetry is stupendously significant, and is the reason that cultures have been able to grow and thrive successfully. Beautiful strings of words have tied people together, together communities, which is the case for such as black communities in the midst of the Harlem Renaissance. 1920s Harlem, during the midst of the Harlem Renaissance. Poets such as Langston Hughes wrote about the culture that defined an era in New York City. His poems are a hive of heritage, traditions and a way of life, and poetry enabled this.
Langston Hughes, NCTE. https://ncte.org/blog/2021/01/celebrating-poetry-langston-hughes/
Alongside celebrating culture, poetry acts as a voice for those who otherwise may not be heard. During the Victorian era, female poets, such as Christina Rossetti and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, used their linguistic skills as a weapon against patriarchal values which silenced them and determined their value. Their poetry teaches a fresh way of perceiving the world, hierarchies and social values, a theme which has been carried on through to the world we know now, which, regrettably, consists of less poetry, as children in 93% of schools hear poetry aloud less than once a week. Despite this woeful statistic, the love of poetry within children is not going anywhere, as a 2023 study declared that 88% of teachers find that children enjoy engaging with poetry.
Kids and Poetry. Teaching English. https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/professional-development/teachers/managing-resources/articles/kids-and-poetry
However, it is the 'Instapoets' and lovers of ‘Dead Poets Society’ who argue “We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race”. Hopeless romantics engage in courtly love to keep poetry alive and prominent. Whilst poetry is now far different from the Epic of Gilgamesh that originally ignited this way of life, its salience has never wavered, and the stories and worlds that are cultivated by poets remain as a perfect escape, and a way to communicate what we sometimes may struggle with.
Sources:
https://intellectualtakeout.org/2023/04/the-importance-of-poetry-jones/
https://bookstr.com/article/lets-explore-poetry-one-of-the-oldest-forms-of-literature/
https://clpe.org.uk/research/poetry-primary-schools-2023
This article is not affiliated or sponsored by any of the organisations or material within its writings. The aim of this content is to entertain.
