What is poetry?

Poetry Oozing from my lips like a foam, it sneaks its way into our hearts.

A layer of phrases and words coat onto the untouched fleshy skin, as a typewriter prints onto slightly tanned paper. It changes us, our perspective. The spotlight is dashing freely across the room, as if a child at play. Our eyes open up to whole new meanings, people, worlds, that are all just out of reach. The double sided glass of reality and poetry. After all poetry is just handwritten letters that poets send to the return address of their readers.

Answering one ancient question. What is Poetry? I bet there are lots of people who have come up to their english teacher or professor, and asked “ What poetry is really about?” If you have just read or heard my poem for the first time you may think a few different things, but none of those things are really good enough to answer “ What is poetry?” Yet, I feel that we cannot give a straight answer to everything. Yes, you many search up on your phone, tablet, or nearest stranger’s laptop at a coffee shop and search for a quick dictionary answer. “ literary work in which special intensity is given to the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm; poems collectively or as a genre of literature.” I read that, and think “ That is not the definition of poetry.” That was boring.

You can’t simply state what a poem can make you feel, think, or learn. People can only state what they should think what you should feel, think, or learn from a poem, and it’s ‘ true’ meaning. Poetry has no bounds, it has no end to its potential. Sure, slap on the sticker of judgement from those who feel worthy to give honorary titles to “ a genre of literature.” Yet, a poem cannot be given such a thing. We cannot give a name to something that gives us a -sigh- of satisfaction, or a “ ooh!” and “ ahh”.

Nothing can be the giver of goosebumps or constant creative brain flow. There is no name for this. Only our actions make poetry a reality. Only our feelings make poetry a reality. Only the thoughts in our head after reading a poem makes poetry a reality.

Through every poet is a way of seeing their world, without forcing you into accepting their ways. Poets make the unimaginable obtainable. Poets make the unthinkable a reality. Poets make memories into the future generations. Poets make words into people, and how they view everything. That view is the most beautiful perspective of all.

A perspective with no restriction to other ideas. Which can give you the true meaning of “ Answering one ancient question.” What is Poetry…to you?