Why I like to write poetry

Juliana Conyer

Poetry can be a person’s first step towards changing the world through words.

Juliana Conyer, Freelance Writer

For years, people have been using poetry to express their opinions and feelings on paper. This form of creativity acts as an outlet for a person’s emotions. Almost everybody has read a poem in their lifetime, and one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding poetry is that poems have to rhyme.

In truth, a poem can come in many forms and not all of them have to rhyme. Some styles of poetry include a definition poem, advice poem, haiku, sonnet, ode and more. With so many styles of poetry, the possibilities are endless.

Also, poetry can be an outlet for feelings and opinions that one cannot express out loud. Poems can be about anything, and the more emotion added the better. So when a person is unable to speak their mind, they can channel those thoughts onto paper and create art in the process.

Similarly, poetry is a tangible form of your emotions. Journaling isn’t for everybody, so poetry is a different approach at recording one’s feelings. Additionally, once a poem is written, the author can always look back at the writing to recall their previous ideas.

When writing poetry, the author is either consciously or subconsciously questioning the world. They are asking why things are done the way they are, and these questions can lead to action. Poetry is the key to unlocking a vault full of opinions that people may not have otherwise known they had.

Poetry also gives a person the opportunity to truly create. When people think of art, their minds go to painting and drawing. Writing is an art as well, so crafting a poem is a great substitute of art for those who are not inclined to the traditional forms of artwork.

If people find joy in writing poetry, they can make a career out of it. Many magazines pay freelancers to publish their poems, and some of the most famous authors such as Shel Silverstein and Amanda Gorman have best-selling books fully composed of poems.

Additionally, poetry can be for everybody. One doesn’t have to have superior vocabulary or writing skills to form a poem. Poetry can be as complex or as simple as the author desires, making it a very inclusive form of writing.

Furthermore, short stories and novels can be very time consuming to write. But many forms of poems only have to be a few lines long, such as a haiku which is only three lines, and a free verse poem which can be the length you desire. So, for the people that get discouraged by longer pieces of writing, poetry can be a more manageable form of creative composition.

Whether you are already an avid poet, or just looking for a new hobby, poetry has numerous benefits for every kind of writer. All in all, poetry can be a person’s first step towards changing the world through words.