Most people think of poetry as an abstract art form reserved for only the most accomplished literary masters, but that is not the case at all. Poetry is one of the most accessible written forms. It is around us everyday in in our thoughts, snippets of text, broken conversations, and of course, song lyrics. Whenever you put your headphones on, you are listening to poetry. Can you decipher the meaning behind the lyrics? Do you enjoy what you’re hearing? YES! Otherwise, you wouldn’t listen to it.

Anyone can write a poem. Poetry is both an art form that has fluid flexibility and rigid structure. You can decide what kind of poet you want to be, or use a combination of different forms depending on what you prefer. The best part about poetry, unlike a research essay, is that there is no right or wrong way to do it. As someone who spends her days editing and “correcting” other people’s work, I find poetry liberating. It allows thoughts, feelings, and words to flow out of my brain through my pen onto the page. I don’t need to worry about making a mistake. I don’t need to hold back my intensity. I can just put it all on the page and let it sit there to digest.

Practicing poetry helps me to clear my head, release my emotions, and generate creative thoughts. When I was starting a research paper, I would sometimes make up a little rap on the topic to release some of my stress. Through that process I would no doubt also generate some ideas as to how to start my paper and have released enough tension to be able to put those thoughts down on the page. Poetry is a wonderful practice to help to improve your overall communication skills and confidence. The more you do it, the more easily you can combat writers block or being tongue tied and respond in the moment. So, rather than buy into the literary mumbo jumbo, why not give it a try?

Join us on Saturdays from 3:00pm to 4:30pm for a poetry workshop with Christie Wong, which explores various forms, techniques, genres, and methods of tapping into your creative selves. It is a wonderfully inspiring, yet practical class that provides you with information and exercises to improve your writing practices outside of the classroom.

For more information, go to our events page. For daily tips and inspiration, follow us on social media – @pfau_academicwriting (links on headers and footers of the page). We look forward to helping you to reach your full potential on the page, and in life.