For many, poetry is merely a headache that is avoided at all costs—the dreaded unit of English class. Does anyone actually know what Wordsworth meant with his field of daffodils? This uncertainty, however, is exactly what makes poetry so universally remarkable. In the multitude of languages, cultures, and symbols we humans have created, poetry seems to have every answer and no answer at all. This subjectivity is what allows poetry to transcend into the human experience, making it the purest account of humanity there is.
Poetry overflows with social commentary and challenge. It contributes to the documentation of history since its beginning, while remaining significantly different from what could be directly pulled out from a history textbook. With themes of historical events, poetry pours in a unique layer of emotion, allowing for a more personal and passionate approach while giving contemporary society insight into the minds of those that came before us. No other field or piece of literature quite touches the soul the way poetry does, and as Courtney Bambrick, an assistant professor of Thomas Jefferson University, puts it, “poetry forces time”. These carefully crafted words, deliberately divided stanzas, and crucial tone all force its reader to take a moment and look at history in a different light—one where the facts don’t necessarily drive the story, but rather, the personal opinion and struggle do.
Poetry’s superpowers don’t end there. In this kind of writing, there quite literally are no limits or rules. The physical structure can virtually be any, the tone can come from whichever angle, and most incredibly, any topic(s) can be discussed. A chair could be used to talk about death. An apple could be used to protest capitalism. A pencil could be connected to women’s suffrage.
Essentially, the beauty of poetry is its captivating relationship of the concrete and abstract. The most bizarre combinations can be made to convey an idea or opinion, and that is a rare thing for society to allow. With poetry, social issues become more prevalent and are put under a spotlight that one cannot look away from. It is because of these things that poetry is found everywhere, in all kinds of forms, making its role in modern society a powerful one not to be cast aside.
