Who benefits from writing poetry, and why?I know the introduction can be intimidating..
When I was in sixth grade, I was introduced to serious poetry. Not that all poetry isn’t meaningful, but the kind where you really had to think about what you were writing, and why you were putting it down on the paper. We learned about different forms, as well as had opportunities to free write. Some of us loved it and well- others simply hated it.
Poetry gives us the opportunity to express ourselves through writing. Sometimes rules are applied when it comes to formatting or type (ex- Haiku). But in reality even with those limitations, we can still form a piece of art about whatever we want. Learning about the freedoms of poetry can make people uncomfortable, because as a society we have made it a taboo to express ourselves openly. Poetry often allows individuals to be vulnerable not only to others if you are sharing, but even to yourself as you are allowing yourself to feel.
When we are young (and even old) sharing our writing with our peers or mentors is so often feared because quite simply: vulnerability. From academic writing, journal entires, to detailed poetry, all aspects of writing share a piece of you. But poetry is a big platform that allows people to express themselves without limitations. We live in a world full of rules- and to be told there are none? That is quite scary.
Don’t be scared.Everyone can benefit from poetry, even if it’s not being shared! And here is a few reasons why. :)
Mental and Emotional Health
Though the idea of being vulnerable is terrifying to most people, it can honestly open up so many doors for our emotional and mental health. Sometimes, we cannot physically verbalize the multitude of emotions that are swallowing us. Writing in general can help us figure out ways to say things we sometimes cannot speak. Though some of our work may not be shared with others, it helps us get out those traumas or frustrations that we avoid while keeping them to ourselves.
This further allows us to be more in tune with our self awareness. In some ways, using writing and poetry as an outlet is a therapeutic practice commonly used in mindfulness. It helps us bring awareness to ourselves about where we are and what we may be struggling with.
However sharing your work can also have a multitude of benefits as well. By sharing your work (from the emotional and mental health perspectives) you can learn that you may not be alone with your experiences. Knowing your peers or mentors may have experienced the same things you have can help heal some of those tramas, as you can hear how other people have coped.
Improve Writing/Creativity / Cognitive Skills
For some people writing something can be immensely challenging, while for others flow comes naturally. Regardless of either, continuous writing has proven to enhance academic and cognitive skills. Just like many other skills in our lives, the only thing that can improve our writing is practice. Continuous writing allows our brain to become quicker at creating coherent and creative content- may it be academic or an artistic outlet.
For many people, having a hobby or an artistic outlet is immensely important. Some it may be music, drawing, or even sports. But the awesome thing about allowing poetry to be one of those outlets is that it leads to way more benefits than just getting the “itch” away for a creative outlet. Writing poetry allows our brains to enhance as well.
Poetry enhances our cognitive abilities to collect our thoughts quickly in a much more coherent way. With the continuous practice of exploring others and our own writing, we are allowing our brains to begin recognizing patterns, words, analytical skills, and much more. Enhancing our cognitive skills can even help with having conversations and using that verbal language.
Developing an Open Mind
Poetry (and creative writing in general) is often open for interpretation. Though the author of whatever content you are reading wrote it for a specific purpose, poetry allows you critical analysis skills to understand the context of the poem. When having open discussions with others about a specific piece of writing, you may find that others have a difference in opinion on what the poem is about or what metaphors/ similes may be in reference to. By having these discussions and listening to others ideas, it allows our minds to open up to the thought processes of others.
Some poetry also tells personal stories, and allows us to form empathy or opinions on topics we may have not experienced. Poetry can be written about anything. And some of the greatest poetry addressed issues that make us uncomfortable. Reading poetry on these issues are the beginning of normalizing uncomfortable conversations which will inherently lead (hopefully) to a greater understanding of each other.
These are just a few examples of why writing poetry can be beneficial to us.
There are so many positive reasons why everyone should take part in writing or reading poetry. This list is very short- because in reality the number of benefits that it has is extremely overwhelming!!
Here are some resources I used to help create this blog and give more reasons you should get involved. :)
https://www.writingforward.com/poetry-writing/the-personal-benefits-of-writing-poetry
https://resources.theesquiline.org/blog/10-reasons-make-poetry-part-life
XX- T
