Writing and Reading Poetry

This week we are asked to respond to the similarities and differences between reading poetry and writing poetry. What I think is interesting is that the two are interconnected and yet completely distinct processes. I feel that both require a certain level of engagement with language and it has to be on a deeper level not only to be able to understand but as well to express when writing. Poetry also has a lot to do with emotions, typically reading poetry the writer wants to express themselves and the reader has to be emotionally mature (to a degree) to be able to absorb it and understand. However both writing and reading operate in completely different ways. Writing poetry is mostly an exploration of oneself through expression. In writing the artist uses imagery, sound, and rhyme scheme to evoke feelings in their audience. On the other hand reading poetry is examining the types of techniques the writer used, context, or themes the writer used to create something worth reading and feeling for. 

I find it a lot easier to read poetry than I do writing poetry myself. It is interesting seeing what poets use in their work to make it sound so put together. As I found out, analyzing their structure and word choices can help strengthen your own work. Since we had to read poetry first and then write our own, I found that analyzing others' works helped me better develop my own work even though I am nowhere near as good. I find it interesting how deep writers get into their work and how comfortable they feel to essentially share the deepest moments in their life with the world. I think from a young age I was taught to always keep anything emotional to myself probably why I am not good at writing poetry myself. I read Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe, my all time favorite poet. The gothic genre is always what I have gravitated towards. I love that even though Poe is writing about the great loss of a love and many people label him as a delusional man his words always seem so beautiful to me. After researching his work and doing a close read on Annabel Lee it helped me write my own poetry by providing practical examples that illustrated concepts similar to what I was writing about. 

This experience definitely taught me the importance of integrating expression with critical thinking. What is great is that for future teaching, encouraging students to first engage with reading poetry can help them become better poets. Not only does it help writing and analyzing but it also makes you appreciate how much skill it takes to read and write poetry. Poetry is a complete form of art but also a subject that should be more broadly taught.