How can I learn to appreciate poetry?

[Marshall]

Poetry, for me, seems like one of the final frontiers in reading. I can read most other genres, fiction or non-fiction/past or present, yet cannot bring myself to appreciate poetry in general. Though I have found a few poems rather insightful, for the vast majority, I'm lost.

As far as I know, poetry has been around longer than many other art forms and has been appreciated by many of the greatest intellectuals throughout history. There must really be something brilliant about it that I am missing.

I'm not interested in learning to appreciate poetry simply to appear more intelligent. I'm interested in poetry because, as I'm sure many of you have discovered, many benefits of art are only realized after an understanding and appreciation for them has been developed. Classical music or abstract painting are two examples of this that come to mind.

So if anyone has suggestions for understanding and appreciating poetry, please let me know.

[Plato]

Ha, the same goes for me!

[Susie]

I'd say the best thing is to go to a live poetry reading. Find out if any established poets will be reading in your area (usually they appear on campuses, but sometimes in bookstores) and GO. I think it's true what they say that poetry is best appreciated when you hear it. Or if there are no live readings, try to get some on tape (or CD), read by the author is best but of course in the case of older poetry it's not possible. Amateur poetry nights are okay but I'm afraid that might turn you off to poetry because it's often really bad, but it can also be a lot of fun.

[Marshall]

Originally Posted by Susie

I'd say the best thing is to go to a live poetry reading.

Amateur poetry nights are okay but I'm afraid that might turn you off to poetry because it's often really bad, but it can also be a lot of fun.

I have a couple "amateur" poet friends who have read some of their poetry to me, but as you said, that basically just turned me off. Otherwise, I've only read poetry. I'll look into going to some readings.

[Jenny]

Poetry is so broad. I can't imagine you would possibilly like all, or even most, poetry. Perhaps the problem isn't poetry but the poets/poetry you are reading? What are your interests? What kind of books, movies, etc. interest you?

Questions such as these in my opinion would be the path to follow to find poetry that moves you.

PS. As a starting point to figure out what kind of poetry appeals to you try Sherman Alexie (maybe try First Indian on the Moon) or for a very different perspective Sylvia Plath (The Bell Jar) or even listen to the poem Howl by Ginsberg on YouTube (or read it aloud yourself)

[ladybug]

Originally Posted by Marshall

Poetry, for me, seems like one of the final frontiers in reading. I can read most other genres, fiction or non-fiction/past or present, yet cannot bring myself to appreciate poetry in general. Though I have found a few poems rather insightful, for the vast majority, I'm lost.

As far as I know, poetry has been around longer than many other art forms and has been appreciated by many of the greatest intellectuals throughout history. There must really be something brilliant about it that I am missing.

I'm not interested in learning to appreciate poetry simply to appear more intelligent. I'm interested in poetry because, as I'm sure many of you have discovered, many benefits of art are only realized after an understanding and appreciation for them has been developed. Classical music or abstract painting are two examples of this that come to mind.

So if anyone has suggestions for understanding and appreciating poetry, please let me know.

Until I started writing my own "poetry", and felt it from the heart, is when I learned to appreciate it from others. I'm not saying you have to write your own, but that is what did it for me. I liked poetry before, but until I started writing, it struck something completely different in me. I'm not sure if that made sense...

[Blueskied]

Originally Posted by Plato

Ha, the same goes for me!

Same here.
And the few poems that i think i can understand turn me off. I can't stand the extraverted sensitivity and stuff.
I also have a problem with modern novels like Naked Lunch / Burroughs. Just can't get a grip on it.

[Marshall]

Originally Posted by Jenny

Perhaps the problem isn't poetry but the poets/poetry you are reading? What are your interests? What kind of books, movies, etc. interest you?

As far as fiction goes, I like stories driven by characters and emotions. Symbolism is also interesting. I'm not usually drawn to fantasy or sci-fi unless it's done in a certain way; while I have a big imagination, I'm not interested in unoriginal monsters or plots. I want something truly original. I like twists. I like when stories end in odd places or are anticlimactic. At the same time, I don't like stories that are overtly trying to be artsy just for the sake of being weird, which is common among young, inexperienced authors. I'd say the same preferences go for movies and music as well.

For non-fiction, I enjoy memoirs and most topics in philosophy or religion or anything that gets me to think of reality in a new way. Also, I tend to be drawn to things that can be directed applied to life. Because of this keen interest in application, I have a rather wide lens but am able to focus and apply many things to daily life that might appear too abstract at first. This is part of the reason I think I should be able to understand poetry.

[Marshall]

Originally Posted by ladybug

Until I started writing my own "poetry", and felt it from the heart, is when I learned to appreciate it from others. I'm not saying you have to write your own, but that is what did it for me. I liked poetry before, but until I started writing, it struck something completely different in me. I'm not sure if that made sense...

Great advice as far as I can tell. I've tried this with some other endeavors and found it to be helpful. I've composed songs, painted, drawn, and written a novel using this technique.

As an aside, I wrote the novel through NaNoWriMo. I'd definitely recommend it for anyone. If you're not familiar with it, google it. It's basically a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in November, hince NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Even if you don't think you'll have the time to do it, it's worth the investment.

Something about trying or doing establishes an entirely new and exhilarating perspective on creating. It's as if you can finally see the art through the artist’s eyes. You can finally see the meaning and passion of it all.

[Jenny]

Originally Posted by Marshall

This is part of the reason I think I should be able to understand poetry.

You do realize to understand poetry, especially good poetry, takes work and much investment right? (I honestly don't mean this in a condescending manner, just asking)

Give Alexie a try, he has a very sharp wit and his earlier poetry (including the collection I suggested) presents a view of the world that is rather compelling. He feels like an easy read but if you take the time his words gather bite.

Good for you on the novel.

[sheffy4]

I feel the same way as you. I'm actually an English Literature major, so I've been exposed to a lot of poetry. On my own time, the only poetry I will purposefully read is from Edgar Allen Poe, because to me his poems are fun to read and I like the way they sound.

Even though I don't understand or love most poetry, taking classes on poetry really has helped me appreciate its complexity. Good poets do some amazing things with language, punctuation, form, etc. Sometimes after deeply analyzing a poem that I didn't particularly like, I will come to think it's a great poem simply because I see what the author was doing and how he/she was doing it.

So, to make a long story short, I would say take a poetry class (not a writing workshop class, but one where you study the poetry of others).

[Marshall]

Originally Posted by Jenny

You do realize to understand poetry, especially good poetry, takes work and much investment right? (I honestly don't mean this in a condescending manner, just asking)

Yes, you have an excellent point. Perhaps I spoke out of place. I didn't necessarily mean that because I have a knack for understanding some things, I should automatically understand poetry without trying.

I’ll use music as an example. I appreciate music. There was a time I was a music major (not that that means much ). But I don't enjoy all music. Some music I don't even appreciate, especially the hyper-produced, no-feeling-at-all stuff. Music I can understand though. While my knowledge of it is limited, I can understand to a certain degree the musicians or composers and their expressiveness through music. This is how I meant that I think I should understand poetry: even if I can't understand all that is going on in the poem, I feel like I should be able to understand a sliver of the expressiveness of the art or have some sort of curiosity for it.

I don't right now. I'm taking everyone's word that poetry is fascinating and insightful. Rather than giving up by conceding that poetry is trite or pointless, as I seem to have done until now, I'm trying to switch my perspective to realize that poetry does have something useful to offer.

Having said that, I’m grateful for the tips on what to read. I’ve read some of it already and will continue to try.

[highanddry]

First, don't expect that you'll be able to learn to love poetry generally. Poetry is truly one of the great loves of my life, and I detest 95% of what I read. Even among my favorite authors, I just can't bring myself to appreciate vast swaths of their work. That said, when poetry is good... it's the most profound, insightful, and brutally transformative linguistic machine I've ever witnessed. It'll gut you like a trout and eat you raw.

Start by reading selections of vastly different styles, and recognize that authors are aiming at wildly different goals. Some are playing with the underlying structure of language itself (Wallace Stevens), others are making statements about the nature of modern life (Bukowski). Find the authors you hate least, and start looking into their other works.

Good luck. Finding your first poetic infatuation is like trying to get executed by a blindfolded firing squad.

[Old Soul]

So if anyone has suggestions for understanding and appreciating poetry, please let me know.

I see the poem as having it's own right to be, kind of like a living breathing entity, which begs to be heard, very often the person who is penning down the poem, has suffered much for these crystal thoughts to be born.. the writer of a poem knows he or she never owns the poem......sure they can copywrite it, but a poem has a life of it's own
we are just the vessel which gives birth to the poem, Good crystal poetry speaks to thousands of people... as it does "one"!

I also believe real good poetry comes from the soul, like music and painting, it is a gift for everyone to respect and apreciate.... these gifts remind us of the beauty and ugliness in the world, It speaks of successes and failures, it forces us to pay attention to what is going on in the world, it can help heal those who need healing, it blesses us ...elevates our thinking, acts as a reminder to those who need reminding, it can bring laughter and tears , as the great Gibran Kahil reminds us.. I appreciate the way he sees the poem. poet :

The Poet VIII by Khalil Gibran

I have read many many different poems by many different poets, my personal favorites are the older poems /poets simply because I love the language of the day... these poems seem to be less pretentious straight from the hip , I love the poetic style of the musican Joni Mitchel, Bob Dylan although recognised as musicians I see them as fantastic poets... revealing more from the soul than intellect...

Here is a link to one of my fav poets "Stevan Crane"

Behold, the Grave of a Wicked Man by Stephen Crane


I considered getting a T-shirt made stating

Help a starving artist "Read a poem"! :-)



What I am I am for you
Abstract and defined
I am the poem
Blessed and cursed lines :-)

[Old Soul]

the only poetry I will purposefully read is from Edgar Allen Poe, because to me his poems are fun to read and I like the way they sound.

Hehehe I love Poe, his flow to the poem The Raven reminds me of todays hip hop style or rap lol

[ZHereford]

Originally Posted by Marshall

So if anyone has suggestions for understanding and appreciating poetry, please let me know.

I used to feel the same way about poetry and then realized that it's the same as any other type of reading. You have to read the poems that have relevance and meaning to you. Have a look for my explanation: The Wonder of Poetry and The Arts and Personal Development.

[anamoly]

Read poems without analyzing them at first. Turn off your mind so to speak and read The Prophet

Do you feel the truth? It is so beautiful at times it can make you cry.

[ArtVandelay]

Try writing an epic poem (ie a story) with a meter that rhymes. I did this and had soooo much fun. I haven't actually finished the poem, because I got interrupted by school work, but I'm hoping to get back to it soon.

Not that this made ee cummings any more palettable to me...

[Susie]

Originally Posted by Jenny

Poetry is so broad. I can't imagine you would possibilly like all, or even most, poetry. Perhaps the problem isn't poetry but the poets/poetry you are reading? What are your interests? What kind of books, movies, etc. interest you?

I lot of guys I know really liked reading Charles Bukowski's poems-- very testosterone friendly. (I like them too, though!).

[Stephen]

Basically, us Scots, know how to get involved in poetry. We party!

January 25th is Burns night.

BBC - Burns Night - Homepage

Its an excuse to recite the great 'Tam O'Shanter' and drink copious amounts of alcohol, were the national dress and eat till you burst

[Angela]

I couldn't give two hoots about poetry until I encountered New American Poetry 1945-1960.

So much incredible beauty packed into one fat little book.

[beel]

why do you need to appreciate it? from your post, it sounds like you already appreciate it for it's historical significance and literary contributions, but that doesn't mean you need to like it. if it's not your thing, it's not your thing. it doesn't mean you aren't smart. i suppose i understand how you are feeling because i once felt like i needed to have more appreciation for poetry. then i decided there was no point in spending my time on something that i did not enjoy. i personally find poetry boring and gimmicky. i can respect the craft of poetry and those that love it, but it is not something that is fulfilling to me. i suppose poetry via lyrics might be an exception, but that is accompanying music so it's different. to me, trying to force yourself to appreciate poetry is like trying to force yourself to appreciate a type of music you don't like - why bother?

[Marshall]

Originally Posted by beel

to me, trying to force yourself to appreciate poetry is like trying to force yourself to appreciate a type of music you don't like - why bother?

Because that’s what personal development it all about.

If we don't seriously try to appreciate things that we don't appreciate, we'd all just eat "meat and potatoes." Some people absolutely love "meat and potatoes," but even if that’s true, how do they know if they haven't compared it to anything else?

Even if I've tried, say, asparagus once and found that I didn't like it, I don't think that would qualify as seriously trying to appreciate it. Maybe mine wasn't prepared correctly.

It’s roughly the same for music. I didn't like classical music when I was younger because I didn't play an instrument or understand much that was happening in the music. Now that I've learned more about music, I am able to appreciate classical music.

Couldn't it be the same for poetry? Perhaps I don't appreciate it because I don't understand it or because it wasn’t “prepared” correctly. I don't want to force myself to like poetry. I just want to give it a fighting chance instead of simply dismissing it.

And it is working, slowly but surely.

[Jenny]

Originally Posted by Marshall

Because that’s what personal development it all about.

If we don't seriously try to appreciate things that we don't appreciate, we'd all just eat "meat and potatoes." Some people absolutely love "meat and potatoes," but even if that’s true, how do they know if they haven't compared it to anything else?

Even if I've tried, say, asparagus once and found that I didn't like it, I don't think that would qualify as seriously trying to appreciate it. Maybe mine wasn't prepared correctly.

It’s roughly the same for music. I didn't like classical music when I was younger because I didn't play an instrument or understand much that was happening in the music. Now that I've learned more about music, I am able to appreciate classical music.

Couldn't it be the same for poetry? Perhaps I don't appreciate it because I don't understand it or because it wasn’t “prepared” correctly. I don't want to force myself to like poetry. I just want to give it a fighting chance instead of simply dismissing it.

And it is working, slowly but surely.

Ahh, Marshall I think I like you.

I agree with what you've said here and recently (if we count the past 7 mths or so as recent ) found myself in a similar situation with a very different subject matter. It took me several months of hard work and oftentimes feeling quite "slow" but about a month ago I woke up and saw beauty and depth where none had existed before. It was (and will continue to be) worth every single second. Once your perspective changes your world becomes larger and richer and you are never quite the same.

How boring life would be without that willingness to challenge (especially when the challenge feels more than a bit like drudgery) onself...

[Trezker]

Poetry not bad,
only the poets are bad.
Try writing your own.