Why is poetry important?
I asked my Brooklyn College composition students this question recently to test the waters, as our class was not a creative writing class. A student’s hand shot up. He said, “Poetry is important because it gives people hope.” There was no hesitation in his voice. I feel super old saying this, but I think the younger generation gets it. As long as people are writing poetry there’s a chance that they're reflecting on their lives and on the world they inhabit. Poetry forces you to tackle bigger questions surrounding mortality and your inner life. Through poetry, we can encounter another person's thought processes and memories, and when that is accompanied by linguistic precision, musicality, and experimentation, this is an irreplaceable a gift. Or at least the right people will recognize it as such.
Another student followed up and said that poetry is important because it creates a community that capitalism can’t interfere with. Poetry readings give people a place to gather and share their creative work, and we need these supportive spaces more than ever under late capitalism. My student argued that poetry is a refuge, a way to channel pain and experience, and I could not agree more. Our class was full of secret poets. I will never forget them.
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