1. accept that you can take whatever you want from a poem - I personally care less about understanding exactly what the poet intended, and focus more on: being reminded of moments/people/thoughts in my life, taking advice, and hearing words and phrases that sound nice together
2. start with easy/lovely/understandable poems! esp contemporary ones. have linked a couple below
3. read analysis/reviews of poems you don't understand!
4. read an entire poetry book! sometimes it's useful to see the poems in the context of each other. this is often how they're meant to be read. also sometimes have a authors note or intro which can help
here are some good ones to start with:
- clam by Mary Oliver (abt nature + withstanding life): https://wordsfortheyear.com/2016/09/06/clam-by-mary-oliver/
- after a greek proverb by A E Stallings https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/55235/after-a-greek-proverb
- what I didn't know before by Ada LimĂłn - https://www.poetryinternational.com/en/poets-poems/poems/poem/103-30712_WHAT-I-DIDN-T-KNOW-BEFORE
- Invictus by William Ernest henley (this is an old one but easy to understand) https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51642/invictus
Apr 1, 2024
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Poetry is often short and so we just skim over it and are left underwhelmed. Sometimes we need to make ourselves hear and feel it more, I find that reading the poem out loud really helps with this! Also maybe try to find videos of poets reading their own poems. (Iâve attached a Mary Oliver reading, Iâve never met anyone who didnât like Mary Oliver haha)
Also remember that âpoetryâ is such a huge and nebulous literary form and that you may well dislike a lot of it (I detest so much poetry that I find it a little embarrassing as a poet). Just because you donât like a poem, or a hell of a lot of poems, doesnât mean you donât like poetry, youâve just not found the poems you like. If you find one poem that you like, find more from that same poet. If you like a poet, look at who their fans like, or who the poet has cited as inspiration. Youâre allowed to find lines you love but not like other lines in the same poem. Itâs all worth it when you find one line that hits right through you. âyou do not have to be goodâŚyou just have to let the soft animal of your body love what it lovesâ.
Apr 1, 2024
The first thing I think of with Sara Teasdale's poetry is their steady beat. You really feel your heart with them.
Some stand out lines of hers:
â "My thoughts like steady incense rise;"
â "âBut oh her hair the sun sifts thro'â"
â "And all his words I keep
As rose-leaves hold the dew"
â All of her shorter poem 'LESS THAN THE CLOUD TO THE WIND'
â All of her shorter poem 'Rain at Night'
â 'When I am dead and over me bright April
Shakes out her rain-drenched hair,'
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As for extra ideas!
1. Get an Everyman's Pocket Poetry book. Choose a theme you enjoy, like say rivers! Get that collection, read through it and discover a load of new poems and potentially new favorite poets. Ofc you may know them already, but it fits nicely in a large coat pocket or small purse and is very cute so it's no loss if you've already familiarized yourself with everything they offer.
2. Read translated poetry! ESPECIALLY if it has the original text!! This will be incredibly rewarding: It'll introduce you to imagery that might appear as often in English, it'll open up for you whole new world of poetry AND it might ever make you new/deeper friendships! (It did for me!)
The book 'Chinese Poetic Writing' by François Cheng was one I found and enjoyed a lot! (With original text included! Unfortunately a rarity!)
Jan 27, 2025
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and donât feel pressured to enjoy everything contemporary or all the classics or whatâs popular or what weâre taught in school. thereâs truly no right or wrong way to enjoy poetryâbut not everything appeals to/resonates with everyone so if ur feeling like ur bored or not âgetting itâ that might be an invitation to try a different style!
like i didnât really like ocean vuongâs time is a mother, but i love richard sikenâs crush. i love mary oliver, lucille clifton, and frank oâhara; but i donât like ts eliot, emily dickinson, and allen ginsberg. there are no rules and there are plenty of kinds of poetry to explore! you maybe just havenât found what you like yet.
i also suggest finding accounts on other social media that post poetry and/or sign up for poetry fdnâs âpoem of the dayâ emails. and when you find a poem you enjoy, check out that poetâs collection(s) at the library and read through them! :)
Jul 4, 2024
Top Recs from @siddhartha
So sweet to send them to thank them for your shared experience, and Iâd much rather look at one of these than ten pics from that day
Jan 23, 2024
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go to events even if u think theyâll be iffy - better to have some memories of living life than none, go to library, go sit on the nearest grass
also u canât expect good arts and culture if u donât support the bad/amateur stuff as well đŚ
Jan 30, 2024
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Eg in shower, on walks, during commute, making dinner, to go to sleep, getting dressed. be able to do all these comfortably in silence. then u can try phase them back in in a way where they actually contribute something and ur not just listening for the sake of it
Jan 29, 2024