It’s Poetry Friday and it’s also April 1, which means it’s the start of National Poetry Month (NPM) in the United States. Here in Australia, our Poetry Month is in August – but I choose to think that EVERY month should be poetry month, so I am going to celebrate in April AND August, as many other months as I can – even Octember!
I thought I might start the month by considering what poetry is. Having completed a Doctorate in children’s poetry, it is probably surprising that I find it hard to give a simple answer tot his question. But, if youlvoe poetry, you’ll understand: poetry is different things to different people.
So, for me, I find it easiest to define by using a poem. I have given this definition in workshops and classrooms for quite some time – and was delighted to then be able to include it in my book Teaching Poetry for Pleasure and Purpose last year. And now, here I am sharing it with you to celebrate NPM.
A Poem
(by Sally Murphy)
A poem
is a whole lot of words
a plethora of words
a smattering, a scattering
a shattering of words
thrown on a page
in carefully created
chaos
to make you wonder.
It’s not a definite answer – but the best poems aren’t – they leave you with something to ponder – maybe a depth of feeling, maybe a sense of joy, or maybe even just a giggle.
I’m off to wonder at the other offerings for Poetry Friday. The roundup is being hosted by Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe.
I love the energy in your poem and these lines too,
“thrown on a page
in carefully created
chaos”
And yes to celebrating poetry every month, thanks Sally!
Words to make you wonder! Yes. Happy Octember!
A doctorate in Children’s Poetry? Didn’t know that was a thing, but HUZZAH! My Kindergarten poets always ask what poetry REALLY is, even after writing it themselves. I think “carefully created chaos) and “art class with words” definitions will do the trick! Cheers!
Thanks Christie. Officially what I have is a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). My topic, however, was children’s poetry. Glad to help with a definition 🙂
Well, that is a very fine definition, and how is it that this is the first I’ve seen of your intriguing-looking book?! The best definition I’ve come across so far is especially for kids in school:
“Poetry is Art Class with words.”
Glad to have you along in Aprust, Februcember, Maytober or any month!
I like that definition Heidi – poetry is definitely like making art.
I like every bit, Sally, but especially that ‘smattering’ and ‘shattering’ – fits wonderfully to me! Happy “Every month is Poetry Month’!
Thank you Linda 🙂
What a wonderful definition! Can I share that with my students? I love it!
Of course, Linda!
Sally, your poem holds a great deal of truth, as exemplified by your words: shattering, thrown, carefully created, and wonder. From your thoughts, I add, a poem is full of action, a precise settling of words that makes us wonder or ponder about the moment of creation. A poem is a gift from the heart. Thanks for making me dig deeper into my thoughts about what a poem is.
I love that ‘precise settling’ term Carol – it goes to the heart of what I was trying to say in ‘careful’ and ‘chaos’ . Thank you for dropping by to add to my thoughts 🙂
When I say your poem is an example of ‘Ars Poetica,’ Sally, I am actually paying you a compliment. So you were absolutely spot on when you wrote that we were in synch with our respective posts.
Thank you Alan. Synchronicity is a grand thing.
I think yours is quite an apt definition of a poem, Sally–words that make us wonder with some alliteration thrown into the chaos.
Thanks Janice. Yes that chaos actually takes a lot of work sometimes to make it look chaotic, or easy.
The PERFECT definition! (Especially since it uses “plethora,” which is one of my very favorite words!)
It’s a good word, isn’t it? It does wonderful things to my brain!