What is Poetry?

po·et·ry  [poh-i-tree] –noun
1. The art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts.

         Yes, a very true definition of poetry in a very two-dimensional perspective, but poetry is much more than that. Poetry is expressing the unknown of the mind, heart, and soul in their totality. It is being able to pull those raw feelings from your gut and having them come out to form this beautiful imagery, or artwork, that is completely your own. All through high school, I have followed James Baldwin’s quote, “To write is to discover what you don’t know, or don’t want to know.” I think that is a big part of writing. Sometimes, I just sit down and let myself go, not worrying about anything but my paper and pencil. Sometimes, what I come out with surprises me. I have discovered a lot about myself through my writing. It has also made me much more aware and observant. I write a lot about nature and it has become a meditative state for me to just sit somewhere, absorbing the world around me through all my senses. Also, Phillis Wheatley inspired me a lot this year. She was the first African American woman to get her work published. She only wrote when she was feeling intense emotion, such as utter hatred or depression. Her poetry is beautiful in its depth of emotion. When I read her work, I can feel her pain. She helped me let loose and not be afraid of my emotions and be able to write them down. I do not think poetry about rhymes or types of poetry, skillful poets can write amazing sestinas or villanelles, but real poets can write the ineffable sense of emotion. Real poets can turn inexplicable thoughts and feelings into words.