National Poetry day is a UK-wide celebration of poetry taking place every October. Each year there’s a different theme and in 2019 the theme is truth.
So why is poetry important? Perhaps it is because of the creative way poetry is able to help us understand and appreciate the world around us. Poetry’s strength lies in it’s powerful ability to express heartfelt thoughts, feelings and emotions, and to offer new ways of viewing the world.
Some poems can be very short, using just a handful of words to communicate an idea, emotion or thought. So every single word is important. Poets strive for finding the correct and most effective words to convey what they want to say in their work.
Interestingly, films such as ‘Dead Poet’s Society’ have shown some insight into poetry and how it can be shared by reading aloud. The film is definitely one of my all-time favourites, and I love the way it shows the main characters engaging with poetry so passionately for the first time in their lives and as they grow in maturity and confidence. It really is no surprise Robin Williams won the Academy Aware for best screenplay on the film, and it continues to be a really powerful watch.
So why is poetry important? Perhaps it is because of the creative way poetry is able to help us understand and appreciate the world around us. Poetry’s strength lies in it’s powerful ability to express heartfelt thoughts, feelings and emotions, and to offer new ways of viewing the world.
Some poems can be very short, using just a handful of words to communicate an idea, emotion or thought. So every single word is important. Poets strive for finding the correct and most effective words to convey what they want to say in their work.
Interestingly, films such as ‘Dead Poet’s Society’ have shown some insight into poetry and how it can be shared by reading aloud. The film is definitely one of my all-time favourites, and I love the way it shows the main characters engaging with poetry so passionately for the first time in their lives and as they grow in maturity and confidence. It really is no surprise Robin Williams won the Academy Aware for best screenplay on the film, and it continues to be a really powerful watch.
Essentially, I view poetry as the practice of playing with words in order to weave together a form of language that is able to truly communicate a message, thought, idea or emotion. Although I don’t engage with poetry too often, I tend to turn to it when I have a lot on my mind or am contemplating something important, like making a big decision about the future. It can also offer a nice break sometimes from my usual kind of reading, which tends to mostly be fiction novels.
Whether you're new to poetry or not, I recommend taking a look at the following collections below – there are lots of great choices out there but I'd probably call these some of my favourites at the moment:
The Orange & Other Poems - Wendy Cope
The Orange by Wendy Cope is a poem that perfectly touches on the simple joy of being alive. There’s something in the poem’s simplicity and directness that feels comforting on a bad day. It encourages readers to pay attention to the little things: an ordinary moment between friends, sharing a piece of fruit. In The Orange and other poems, thirty-one of Wendy Cope’s poems are collected together to present her reflections on love and life. It’s a beautiful little book. |
Quiet - Victoria Adukwei
Adukwei is a poet, writer and artist. This is a beautiful collection; featuring some of the most powerful words I've ever read. Quiet, circles around ideas of black interiority, intimacy and selfhood, Victoria Adukwei is supremely talented. |
The Magic Border - Arlo Parks
This is a short and enjoyable read with some standout lines, The Magic Border is Arlo Parks’ debut book of poetry and a world-building companion to her recent album My Soft Machine. Photographer Daniyel Lowden’s images are featured throughout, providing moments which feel intimate and understated alongside the warmth of Arlo’s poetry and lyrics. Her work has an uncommon degree of sensitivity and there’s plenty to consider, decode and reflect on within the pages of The Magic Border. I know, over time, I will revisit this collection again and again. |