While the word poetry may bring to mind the tired old Shakespearean sonnets you were forced to read in high school, or images of flowers and tacky descriptions of love, poetry is much more than this. Established by the Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month, which began on Sunday, is focused on bringing the marginalized art of poetry back into the foreground.
Many students today wonder what place poetry might have in their lives. For Emily Burdett, a freshman majoring in business, poetry isn’t a huge focus, but it presents an opportunity for self-expression that she otherwise might not have.
“Whenever I’m given a poetry assignment, I really feel a need to express myself. It’s not something I would normally do,” said Burdett.
For writers like Samuel Knights, a Ph.D. candidate in fiction in the DU English Department, poetry represents much more than a hobby or leisure activity.
“I think the world presents to us a kind of poetry every moment,” said Knights. “It’s up to us as to whether or not we’re going to see the moments we are given. And whether we choose to articulate that sense in a way that’s never been said before. Poetry is your chance at being able to articulate your consciousness. Finding your own voice – it’s a process.”
According to Knights, there are many places around DU one might find inspiration.
“Everywhere is the occasion for writing,” said Knights. “Do I think that horticulture at DU is an opportunity to expand your consciousness? Sure. But what about standing in the stairwell in the English building and watching the way people grab the hand rail? Poetry isn’t bound by one spot. So much of it comes from the interior.”
During the month of April, you can do many things to bring a little more poetry into your life.
Many local venues host open-mic nights and spoken-word gatherings. These events can introduce you to local poets, as well as present an opportunity to perform your own work, or even someone else’s.
We may not think about the poetry within the music we’re surrounded by every day. We’ve probably all heard song lyrics that seem to speak to us. Simply remove the music and you have a poem.
Another idea might be to reverse that concept and imagine how a simple poem you know might sound if it were put to music.
While she hasn’t necessarily found any poem that really speaks to her yet, Burdett said, she keeps herself open to something new.
“I respect how complex poetry can be,” she said. “With it being National Poetry Month, I will try to have poetry come to the front of my mind when I’m looking at things. Instead of a pop culture references coming to mind, maybe a line of poetry will.”
National Poetry Month offers an incentive to explore an art form that has largely gone out of style in popular culture.
“I can appreciate the opportunity to celebrate poetry. Any invitation to celebrate language is welcome,” said Knights.
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