What Poetry Is - Part 1

I've spent a fair amount of time studying John Fincher's paintings. He is an artist who beautifully captures beauty. You know his subject; he is not trying to confound the viewer. You can see more of his work at: www.lewallencontemporary.com

I've had my head in a few poetry books this morning, and now (as often), I'm thinking about what poetry is - exactly. My students ask me this now and again. They assume a poem needs to rhyme, or be impossible to understand. I tell them that there are poems in places they wouldn't expect. There are poems in grocery lists and science textbooks, for example.

I tell them that poems can - and do - make sense, and that poems can - and do - confound. I tell them that poems can also hurt. Not all poems are beautiful.

I peruse a lot of poetry, stopping when something catches my attention. I'm conscientious of starting poetry books at the beginning (as I would with a novel), because I believe the author is owed this decency. I want to understand the concept of the book as a whole.

But, I admit, if I am displeased by what I see, I begin skipping around in the book, leapfrogging over poems that don't appeal.

I almost always read the last poem in the book, too.

Tomorrow: going further with what poetry is