The Essence of Poetry

Study Notes

• Muhammad Ali, a renowned boxer, was able to train for years to become the greatest boxer of all time, but he took only a few moments to write the shortest poem, "Me, We" or possibly "Me, and We".

• In 1975, Ali charmed Harvard University graduates with his speech about unity and friendship, and when he finished, the audience wanted more, asking him to recite a poem.

• The concept of poetry is difficult to define, with poets often using metaphors to describe it, such as a small machine, fireworks, an echo, or a dream.

• Poetry typically has certain characteristics, including musical language, which can be achieved through rhyme, rhythm, and meter, as seen in the works of Shakespeare, Confucius, and the Vedas.

• Poetry often expresses strong emotions, as seen in the spiritual poetry of Rumi and the onion poem by Pablo Neruda.

• The art of poetry is hard to define, and its forms can vary greatly, such as the visual poetry of Apfel and Reinhard Döhnl, and the poetry of E.E. Cummings, which emphasized the importance of form and layout.

• The question of whether songs can be considered poetry is a topic of debate, with many not considering songwriters to be poets in the classical sense, but the lyrics of artists like Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, and Tupac Shakur are often remembered and preserved even without the music.

• In rap music, poetic elements such as rhyme, rhythm, and imagery are an integral part of the art form, as seen in the lyrics of Notorious B.I.G.

• Poetry can take many forms, including free verse, which does not have a regular rhythm or meter, and prose poetry, which uses paragraphs and sentences to create a poetic effect.

• Poetry can be found in many forms of expression, including spiritual hymns, speeches by leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Winston Churchill, and even in unexpected places like social media.

• In 2010, journalist Joanna Smith tweeted updates from the site of an earthquake in Haiti, using powerful and direct language filled with vivid imagery.

• The roots of poetry are deep and widespread, and its forms have evolved over time, making it difficult to distinguish between poetry and other forms of expression.

• Despite the blurring of lines between poetry and other art forms, the essence of poetry remains the same, as it originated from the Greek word "poiein", meaning "to create", and poets continue to work with raw materials to create new concepts and comment on what it means to be human.

Description

Explore the world of poetry, from its ancient roots to its modern forms, including free verse, rap, and even social media. Discover how poetry expresses strong emotions and can be found in various forms of expression. Learn about the characteristics of poetry, its evolution over time, and its continued relevance in today's society.