Why Write a Poem?

I’ve never been asked this, but I felt the need to write a post on it as it’s a question I ask myself whenever I attempt to write a poem after not having written one for a while.

The only thing that stops me writing poetry is laziness although I do have moments where I can write a few in a short space of time. What brings me back to the form when I’ve taken a hiatus from it is the sort of prestige it sometimes carries, as well as the different shapes they can take and the different types you can write. Those few (or couple) lines can be explored thoroughly to convey deep meanings without spanning a few hundred pages. Something fiction can’t do as well. Its vague nature – not to say all poems are ambiguous – is great for expressing one thing, or for bringing a limitless amount of interpretations. Poetry is still similar to fiction or nonfiction but at the same time extremely different,  and if you haven’t already given it a chance then you may find it holds some appeal.

For writers who really don’t want anything to do with the form then it’s good to remember that it has many variations: the haiku is one of the most attractive, especially for the newbies. It appears short and easy, but when you try it you realise how hard it is to make one exceptional; making it a good reminder for people that poetry isn’t all fluff. There isn’t a more productive way to say something powerful in only a couple lines (and yes there are poems that go on for pages and pages, but this isn’t the majority) that’s why I would encourage everyone to have a go at poetry. If you’re not fond of writing it, you can at least read it . . . or at least the poems on Inkposts anyway :p.