Why We Must Read or Write Poetry
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Poetry reminds us that we are not alone and that others have met what we have faced before.
Love. Loss. Despair.
Whether reading or writing it, poetry becomes a coping mechanism that allows us to define emotions we did not realize our hearts were capable of feeling. It is the color that paints our souls and gives purpose to the inexplicable joy or sadness that can be so beautifully or unforgivingly overwhelming in our lives.
To describe a love so profoundly that you feel it in your bones. To express sorrows so heavy that you feel like the world is crashing upon your shoulders.
Poetry is therapy, a way of talking and walking ourselves through the often indecipherable chaos of our lives. The written words become the unscramblers of our thoughts, leaving us with more peace in the end.
Poetry is art, but it is more than a luxury. It is a necessity that records the measure of our souls through fleeting glimpses of clarity. It shows us the human condition as it is seen through the eyes and spoken through the breath of one person, to be cherished through eternal symbols by the rest of humanity.
Poetry is a way of life. To define things in a way that opens others' hearts is to see the world in a way most people don't and be able to share those emotions and observations through words. Poetry teaches us to feel things beyond the surface.
Poetry is a gift to ourselves when we allow it to dig deep within us, pull out what lies hidden, and show us the things we have and have not overcome. Poetry is a gift to others when we take those lessons and share them with readers, when we allow our experiences to guide those on life's twisting roads.
Poetry is life. Perhaps Robin Williams describes it more succinctly in Dead Poets Society when he says:
We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race, and the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, business, engineering. These are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. —Dead Poets Society (1989)
Poetry gives purpose. To write it is to have something to look forward to or perhaps something to leave behind.
See below for a few poetry book recommendations!
Bittersweet: Poems on Love, Loss, & Wanderlust by Pablo Camacho
Bittersweet is a beautiful and inspiring poetry collection for those who seek lessons from love, from loss and heartbreak, and from the wanderlust we feel as we journey through life. Each page will open your heart and share with you stories from the roads less traveled, from the memories of past lovers, and the moments of reflection found in between.
Sit down with the raw words of this poetry book, and may each poem slowly soften your heart. May each message plant in you a profound feeling that will blossom into something grand. May you rediscover your will to love, explore, and venture fearlessly into the unknown. And finally, may you find the wisdom to understand it’s often the painful times that help us grow.
Life can be bittersweet, but it’s the changes of the seasons that help us appreciate the beautiful moments when they come.
Chasers of the Light: Poems from the Typewriter Series by Tyler Knott Gregson
The epic made simple. The miracle in the mundane.
One day, while browsing an antique store in Helena, Montana, photographer Tyler Knott Gregson stumbled upon a vintage Remington typewriter for sale. Standing up and using a page from a broken book he was buying for $2, he typed a poem without thinking, without planning, and without the ability to revise anything.
He fell in love.
Three years and almost one thousand poems later, Tyler is now known as the creator of the Typewriter Series: a striking collection of poems typed onto found scraps of paper or created via blackout method. Chasers of the Light features some of his most insightful and beautifully worded pieces of work—poems that illuminate grand gestures and small glimpses, poems that celebrate the beauty of a life spent chasing the light.
One Hundred Love Sonnets: Cien sonetos de amor by Pablo Neruda
“The happiness I feel in offering these to you is vast as a savanna,” Pablo Neruda wrote his adored wife, Matilde Urrutia de Neruda, in his dedication of One Hundred Love Sonnets. Set against the backdrop of his beloved Isla Negra, these joyfully sensual poems draw on the wind and tides, the white sand with its scattering of delicate wildflowers, and the hot sun and salty scent of the sea to celebrate their love. Generations of lovers since Pablo and Matilde have shared these poems with each other, making One Hundred Love Sonnets one of the most popular books of poetry of all time. This beautifully redesigned volume, perfect for gift-giving, presents both the original Spanish sonnets and graceful English translations.
Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav
Beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully conceived, Love and Misadventure will take you on a rollercoaster ride through an ill-fated love affair—from the initial butterflies through the soaring heights to the devastating plunge. And, in the end, the message is one of hope.
The journey from love to heartbreak to finding love again is personal yet universal. Lang Leav's evocative love poetry speaks to the soul of anyone who is on this journey. Leav has an unnerving ability to see inside the hearts and minds of her readers. Her talent for translating complex emotions with astonishing simplicity has won her a cult following of devoted modern poetry fans from all over the world. Forget the dainty, delicate love poems of yore; these little poems pack a mighty punch.
Lang Leav is a poet and internationally exhibiting artist. Her work expresses the intricacies of love and loss. Love & Misadventure is her first poetry collection.
Reading and learning are critical for living a life worth writing about.
However, I understand that buying all the books you want can often get expensive. If that’s the case for you, you might want to try Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited (KU) program. With the KU program, you get unlimited access to reading and listening to Amazon’s MASSIVE book catalog (including many of my own books) for a set price every month. If you want to try the program for free, click here to visit Amazon and start your free trial. Don’t miss out on this valuable offer!
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You can become a Poet too!
Throughout a decade of writing, I have learned that writing can…
Untangle your thoughts and organize your ideas.
Improve your communication in relationships.
Help you cope with and understand emotions.
Help you record memories and life lessons.
In my online course, Becoming a Poet, I help you discover the power of writing through poetry. I will lead you through a series of video classes on a journey that will provide you with the tools for becoming a poet and discovering the unique voice in you.
Every day you do not write poetry is a missed opportunity to learn more about yourself.
Discover your voice as a unique poet by learning to write impactful poetry using effective strategies to find inspiration and craft evocative imagery.