Why Read Poetry?

I have found nearly no one I talk to reads poetry. I have found that most people who are readers don’t read poetry.

I came back to poetry a couple of decades ago and I’ve stayed. Here are some reasons why.

1. I found an on-ramp. My last experience with poetry, like yours, had been in school. This had resulted in a very limited understanding of the vast variety the genre offers. Someone gave me a poem by Billy Collins. I’d never heard of Collins and I’d certainly never seen poetry so inviting and entertaining. This was my on-ramp to the superhighway that is contemporary poetry.
2. Poetry is like fine art. By the nature of how it is written and presented, poetry is much more like going to an art gallery than reading a novel. Poetry welcomes observation and reflection. If you enjoy fine art, poetry is waiting for you.
3. An antidote to stress. Because you must slow down and observe a poem vs. read it, poetry offers a slow and thoughtful pace—something lacking nearly everywhere else. I find reading poetry in the evenings (if even among my other reading) is a solace.

So, why not try it? Begin by reading this poem. This is one my wife gets a big kick out of. She once read it to a UPS man we ran into in a Subway. A great memory. If you didn’t enjoy that I may not be able to help you, but let’s not give up. I have a few other recommendations. None of those appeal? Contact me. I’ll give you a couple others. Together we’ll find your on-ramp.