Updated on October 15, 2026
Poetry reminds us that we are not alone and that others have endured what we have.
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Seven reasons poetry matters
It reminds us we're not alone.
It is therapy.
It is art.
It is a way of life.
It is a gift.
It is life itself.
It gives purpose.
1. Poetry Reminds Us We Are Not Alone
Love. Loss. Despair. Whether reading or writing it, poetry becomes a coping mechanism that lets us name emotions we didn't realize our hearts could feel. 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 profound that you feel it in your bones. To express sorrows so heavy you feel like the world is crashing down on your shoulders.
2. Poetry Is Therapy
Poetry is therapy, a way to talk and walk ourselves through the often indecipherable chaos of our lives. The written words unscramble our thoughts, leaving us with more peace in the end.
3. Poetry Is Art
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.
4. 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 share those emotions and observations through words. Poetry teaches us to feel things beyond the surface.
5. Poetry Is a Gift
Poetry is a gift to ourselves when we let it dig deep within us, pull out what lies hidden, and show us what we have and have not overcome. Poetry is a gift to others when we take those lessons and share them with readers, letting our experiences guide those on life's twisting roads.
6. 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.”
7. Poetry Gives Purpose
Poetry gives purpose. To write it is to have something to look forward to or perhaps something to leave behind.
If writing is what calls to you, I wrote about how poetry can change your life and what it has given me.
Poetry Books I Recommend
Bittersweet: Poems on Love, Loss, & Wanderlust by Pablo Camacho
My award-winning poetry collection for those who seek lessons from love, loss and heartbreak, and the wanderlust we feel as we journey through life.
Chasers of the Light: Poems from the Typewriter Series by Tyler Knott Gregson
Tyler Knott Gregson types his poems on a vintage typewriter, with no way to go back and revise, and that honesty shows on every page. These short poems find the beauty in small, ordinary moments, which is exactly what I believe poetry is for.
One Hundred Love Sonnets: Cien sonetos de amor by Pablo Neruda
Neruda wrote these sonnets for his wife, Matilde, and they are still some of the most beautiful love poems ever written. As a poet who writes in both English and Spanish, I love that this edition places the original Spanish beside the English translation.
Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav
Lang Leav proves a poem doesn't need to be long to hit hard. This collection follows a love affair from the first butterflies to heartbreak and, finally, hope: the same journey so many of my own poems try to capture.
Reading on a budget? Discover a massive catalog of books, including some of mine, on Kindle Unlimited. Try Kindle Unlimited free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is poetry important?
Poetry reminds us that we are not alone and that others have endured what we have in the past. It is therapy, a way of talking and walking ourselves through the often indecipherable chaos of our lives.
Why should you write poetry?
Poetry gives purpose. To write it is to have something to look forward to or perhaps something to leave behind.
You Can Become a Poet Too
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 give you the tools to become a poet and discover the unique voice within you.
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.
Browse my poetry prints.
Meet the author
Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, raised in a military family, and a former U.S. Marine. Pablo Camacho is the author of more than eight books in English and Spanish, including the Pencraft Award–winning Bittersweet, and is currently writing his first horror stories. He lives in Florida with his wife and daughter.