Reading poetry

Poetry evokes a diverse range of emotions in individuals. While some individuals associate it with unpleasant memories of tedious poetry classes, others find it a source of delight, transporting them to a world of unbridled imagination or unveiling new perspectives on mundane realities.

At its core, poetry should be an enjoyable experience that captivates our senses. Only once we have savoured its beauty can we appreciate its finer nuances, such as its rhyme, rhythm, and stylistic devices, eventually developing a profound affection for this genre. Unfortunately, a common phenomenon observed in school curricula is an emphasis on technicalities at the expense of enjoyment, creating an aversion to poetry. Thus, the key to fostering a love for poetry is prioritising enjoyment, allowing for a gradual appreciation of its technical elements. By doing so, we enrich our lives with poetry’s profound emotions and insights.

Learning to love poetry is an achievable feat, and it starts with relishing uncomplicated forms of poetry, such as haikus and sonnets, without requiring familiarity with their titles. Commence by selecting poems for their brevity, and then gradually progress to more intricate works.

After identifying a particular poem, reading it repeatedly in various ways, aloud or silently, modulating tone and pitch to gain a comprehensive understanding is essential. Allowing our imagination to run wild with the poem’s words while interpreting them is equally vital.

Consider a poem with the line, “the sky, azure, turns red in the eve.” What could it signify? Does the blue sky indicate serenity before a violent upheaval? Alternatively, is the author merely commenting on the sky’s transformation on a particular afternoon without any underlying meaning? The key factor is to examine the entire poem and its context and then present a convincing interpretation. In conclusion, poetry is subjective and open to individual interpretation as with truth.