Poetry...you needn't be worried...

I have always loved poetry. I guess it's because I grew up reading poetry books like, FALLING UP, THE LIGHT IN THE ATTIC, THE GIVING TREE, and WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS, by Shel Siverstein. I enjoyed reading the poems in those books. The poems were presented in a way that for children was enjoyable. Each poem had a picture with it, and the poems were always so funny and the most outragious scenarios.

According to Dictionary.com poetry is defined as: the art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts.

In my Creativity in the Arts class, we read a couple readings on poetry. THE NAME AND NATURE OF POETRY, by A.E. Housman and THE POETRY HANDBOOK, by Mary Oliver. Both of these readings were written to help people understand poetry more. Each gave their own thoughts, opinions, examples, and interpretations of poetry. It's always nice to read about poetry here and there, and although I've been studying poetry in at least one English class from the time I was in 8th grade...I still find things to learn. Poetry is so beautiful, and I absolutely love to read it. I always had an appreciation for poetry, but it was not until my AP English class my senior year of high school, when I realized the absolute beauty that is poetry. We analyzed and looked at all sorts of poetry; from Ralph Waldo Emerson to William Carlos Williams. Speaking of...William Carlos Williams, MY FAVORITE poem is:

THE RED WHEELBARROW

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

I don't know why I like it, as much as I do. I think it has to be becasue it's so simple, yet there is an even greater meaning of the Red Wheelbarrow. I rememeber we had to write an essay on it, analyzing it, including our opinions of it. It was a really neat assignment, because everyone wrote so many different takes on what The Red Wheelbarrow is.

Poetry is mysterious. Sometimes the meanings and the reasons why it was written are so clear...other times they have to be discovered. I love poetry, because with poetry I actually enjoy analyzing each line and finding the true meaning or the possible meaning. It could possibly be one of my hidden secrets. haha...what can I say? Poetry is just amazing.