(Some thoughts about poetry from Erika, on behalf of, and with input from, the 2 Rules team.)
More Inspiring: Cute Boys or a Great Film?
The movie Dead Poets Society came out when I was fourteen. I didn’t have a chance to see it before leaving for summer camp, but my mother and a friend went to see it while I was gone. Soon after, I received a letter from my mother with the usual news and updates from home, telling me that she had gone to see the movie and that I absolutely had to see it when I got home. So I did.
And while I loved seeing Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles on screen because they were really cute, the movie was so much more than that. You probably remember the scene at the end, where, one by one, the boys stand on their desks, each one repeating the line, “Oh captain, my captain,” the opening lines of Walt Whitman’s poem, as they declare their support for Robin Williams’ character who has just been fired. But do you remember the earlier scene where the boys are gathered around a newly arrived Mr. Keating as he tells them why we read poetry?
“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. And 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. To quote from Whitman:of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless…
of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?”
Answer. That you are here – that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”
Have We Written Poetry’s Epitaph?
There are countless articles online trying to answer the question “Is poetry dead?” The most well known might be Alexandra Petri’s 2013 Washington Post column “Is Poetry Dead?” And if you listen to what she says, you probably believe it is. With all due respect to Ms. Petri (whose catalog of publications is much larger than mine,) I disagree.
So does David Ebenbach, who says:
The bottom line: as you can see, technically speaking, poetry is as alive as a kangaroo or a bacterium or the kind of fish that is actually (I kid you not) called a Sarcastic Fringehead. We have checked the vital stats, and the stats are vital. There is officially no need to further rehash the Dead Poetry question; if you question the aliveness of poetry, you basically hate science.
Poetry Isn’t Even On Life Support Yet
Poetry is a living, breathing art. It evolves with the times. It’s our history. It’s entertainment. Hindu Vedas, Homer’s The Odyssey, Leonard Cohen, and the hip-hop lyrics of Killer Mike are all poetry. Poetry is how we shared stories, traditions and history before we had systems of writing and before the printing press. And poetry evolves, too. Social media has completely changed the poetry landscape. Instagram has given poets like Rupi Kaur wide access to wide audiences. YouTube has allowed publishers like Button Poetry a different way to reach people. Their YouTube channel makes it possible for people to experience poetry through videos that can be watched or listened to. The options are endless.
Forget Life Support, Poetry Is Still On The Playground
Poetry is a foundation of early literacy, too. As children learn to read, rhythm and rhyme help children learn about word sounds. Rhyme even helps children decode new or unfamiliar words. The first two lines of A A Milne’s poem “Teddy Bear” are a good example:
A bear, however hard he tries,
Grows tubby without exercise.
An emerging reader may recognize the word “tries,” but struggle more with “exercise.” Using clues from the previous line, they may be able to sound out the unfamiliar word.
The Time For Poetry Is Anytime
Poetry can capture a moment, just a single moment, exactly as it is. Modern poets like June Jordan, in “Poem for my Love”
I am amazed by peace
It is this possibility of you
asleep
and breathing in the quiet air
Or classical poets like Ben Johnson in “to Celia”
Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kiss but in the cup,
And I’ll not look for wine.
Each capture intimate moments shared with a partner.
We Love Poetry All Year, But In April, We Have A Little Extra Love
Poetry is alive. Poetry captures the joy, the pain, the living and breathing moments of our lives. And while we love it all year, this month, during National Poetry Month, we set aside some extra time to celebrate it with our 30 Days, 30 Poems project.
Poetry exists so you can contribute a verse. What will yours be?
Our poetry celebration continues throughout April. Visit our 30 Days, 30 Poems daily poem page or view the archives for the whole month. And join us for our National Poetry Month Virtual Poetry Reading. RSVP here for the link.