Something I have thought a lot about is how I usually see poetry defined as classical poetry, which I don't think is accurate.
Poetry is the opposite of prose, right? Well, prose isn't a genre itself; it is a collection of genres, both in subject matter and length of writing. Accordingly, poetry isn't a genre either. And yes, within classical poetry there are genres such as epic poetry, free verse, and narrative poetry. But I think there are even more.
Sometimes people say that not many people like poetry. I don't think that's true; I think everyone, or at least most people, likes poetry, but only a minority likes classical poetry. Most people like listening to songs. What are songs if not poems set to music? And would you say that Der Erlkoenig (Goethe+Schubert) or Ode to Joy (Schiller+Beethoven) aren't poetry just because they are set to music? No, you wouldn't. And poetry originally was sung; it only started to take on its written form I would guess during the Information Revolution around the Renaissance.
Now, we have many genres of poetry. We have classical poetry (written), spoken word/slam poetry (which I think is relatively popular), children's verse (eg. Dr. Seuss), song lyrics (extremely popular), religious songs, cowboy poetry, etc. And I think that when we consider all the genres of poetry, it is actually very popular and even universal.
If someone doesn't like reading classics like Austen or Dickens, would you say they don't like to read? No--chances are they like fantasy, or nonfiction, or graphic novels. Just like there is a kind of prose for everyone, there is a kind of poetry for everyone.
So what do you think? Do you agree? This is something I feel very strongly about, and I would like to hear other people's thoughts on the subject.
Coming in after seeing this post bumped. From a linguistic POV, classic vs contempory are not genres. They are date refrences. When speaking of poetry in our era, it covers the last 100 years. Past that it becomes classical. Going through school Ezra Pound for example was contempory, but now that time has moved forward he is classical. When speaking of others in the past, a persons contempory's are those that lived in the same era as them, for example Pound and Picasso were contempories of each other.
I do agree that poetry is so vast that it’s impossible to categorize or put into a box. I’m reading a novel in verse, right now, called “The Lehman Trilogy,” which is ASTOUNDING!!!!!!!!!!! The author, Stefano Massini, tells a FANTASTIC story in verse! What’s so AMAZING AND POWERFUL about it is that the lines fall into an easy rhythm, natural, and unforced! It’s BRILLIANT!!!!!!! i cannot recommend it enough because of what you can learn, the power of poetry to encapsulate emotion and deliver story with concision, and a whole bunch of other things that you’ll just pick up on! Poetry never fails to show me how versatile, vast, powerful, flexible, coherent, smooth, magical, resounding, meaningful, emotional, and sensitive it is and can be. More and more and more and more and more I find how awesome, straightforward, complex, and deep it can be. It can be what you make of it because words are what they are, but the use of them in certain ways evokes not only meaning, creates atmosphere, renders tone, theme, and variety, but spills its music with such liberal and joyous bounty, that you cannot help but be inspired, awed, floored, and reverent to and about it! There isn’t much in the written word that does not contain poetry. The best fiction is laced with poetry. Rap is poetry, SLAM is poetry. Even a written sentence is poetry, if the author has taken the time to consider it with care and weighs the use of words and their order. Without poetry in prose, the prose is lifeless, indistinct, flat, and dull. In spite of what’s happening in the world, poetry is more vital than ever to root and ground us as human beings, to communicate with emotional power and to bring understanding, healing, warmth, and the joy of the music of language to all! I will venture to say that even made-up language is poetry because sound is music and the sounds of the English language have such breadth and depth that their ability to move and influence one’s emotions and thoughts is the truest and one of the most awe-inspiring aspects in which language asserts itself. Limericks and Nursery Rhymes are poetry, as children learn rhymes with incredible ease and virtuosity. This is not the oldest form of expression for nothing! The oral tradition is as vibrant and alive, now, as ever it was way back in time! Look at Open Mikes, SLAMS, just plain readings. People still appreciate oral poetry because it tells stories and narratives. Even lyric poetry has the capability of awakening thoughts and awareness. One could write books on this subject because it’s inexhaustible!
Hi I am late adding my twopence to this thread. The problem for poetry is the only general statement is ‘you can never say never’. Yes songs can be poems. The reason behind thinking they weren’t poems was because the rhythmic work was done by the music. I listen to a podcast on writing songs ( I will need to look up my YouTube history to find the link) there are three approaches to writing lyrics, focusing on poetics was only 1 method. If you wanted to create a unique guitar ‘lick’ you started with the music.
Any set text is going to be a problem as not all poems in any era are accessible or enjoyable to everybody. The other problem for school courses is not everybody wants to understand ‘theories of literary devices’. You should be able to join a class of appreciation rather than having to analyse the texts.
I want to say more about conventionalism but this comment will become to rambling. Hoping you return to this thread. What you have raised is important
You make some very interesting points. There’s a lot to go away and think about here.
But yes I have to agree, poetry education in schools needs reform. Evidently on a global scale… I thought it was just a UK issue
I agree that most people like poetry because, at the heart, songs are poems. We have a school system that berates students with classics with which they have no connection. And teachers push to complete tired, dry assignments. When the students completes school, this is their reference to 'poetry'. It takes a die hard fan to get beyond that. Cheers!