In honor of National Poetry Month, I've outlined a few simple tips, websites, and of course books to get you in the spirit!
When Reading Out Loud
A poem is like a song but without music, the rhythm should come from the words themselves.
Take your favorite poem and ask yourself: “How do I think this poem is supposed to sound?” Loud? Soft? Slow? Fast?
How the poem sounds is how it best resonates with you.
Listen To Good Speakers
A good speaker can completely transform the meaning of a poem.
Poetry Out Loud has recordings by famous authors such as actor Anthony Hopkins and actresse Alyssa Milano: professionals known for the power of their elocution.
You can also try the South Asian Literary Recordings Project, by the U.S. Library of Congress or grab some popcorn and one of your favorite Bollywood classics. Sure they’ve been put to music, but those ghazals you belt out in the shower? You guessed it: pure poetry.
Recommended: Music by Jagjit Singh, Ghazal King
Leave the Tomb at Home
Many of us who attended school in the last twenty years was force-fed poetry from huge, three or four hundred page anthologies. Dragging that weight back and forth might have suppressed a passion for verse, and not all of us had the luck to have a Mr. Keating to teach us the meaning of poetry. I prefer poetry that I can read on the go, and what’s more romantic than pulling out a tiny book of romantic poetry at any given moment to share with your special someone?
Recommended: Indian Love Poems (Everyman's Library Pocket Poets)
Find Your Inner Poet
Then again, maybe you don’t find a poem appealing, because you can’t relate. It helps to read up on your favorite poet, or read more poetry about the topic the poet is covering to try and understand where the words are coming from. Some use poetry to spark revolutions while others use poetry to heal.
Going through something yourself? Check out The National Association for Poetry Therapy
Recommended: John Fox’s Poetic Medicine: The Healing Art of Poem-Making
Out With The Old, In With The New
According to poet Thomas Gray, “Poetry is thoughts that breathe and words that burn.” If the language doesn’t speak to you, it doesn’t mean the poet is bad, just not for you. Don’t feel obligated to like big names like William Shakespeare or Rabindranath Tagore just because everyone else does. Instead, try some modern poetry on for size.
Recommended: Indivisible: An Anthology of Contemporary South Asian American Poetry
Pictures Perfect Poetry
Lastly, poetry is about provoking thought and emotions through imagery, so what better way to experience poetry than to enjoy a book of illustrated poems? Check out Chennai-based Tara Books’ illustrated take on 17th Century English poem I Saw A Peacock With A Fiery Tail.
Recommended: I Saw A Peacock With A Fiery Tail
Featured Image: 2.bp.blogspot
Yasmin Spiegel
Author
Yasmin Spiegel is a New York-based writer and information professional. She is passionate about books, textiles, good design, and expert craftsmanship. She reserves free time for her own creative work, ballroom dancing and hiking upstate. Future plans include fashion design and any excuse for worl...
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