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My Poetry Experiences....

In the past I have not had many experiences with poetry. In high school, which was a good 6 years ago, I took an English course which had some poetry in it. But I do not remember those poems from so long ago, as I have a short memory. I know I didnt like how long some of them were and the confusing words that I would have to write down to look up later, and then re- read the poem. I find it very intimidating due to that fact, as I think that some poets are alot smarter and know their dictionaries, which made me feel less intelligent.
For this unit and units to come, I will try to take on the poetry world and understand some of the hidden meanings in those writings. I will not look at them negatively, well at least until i see how long they are, although I will give them all a good try.
-Nicole Kunz

Poetry Experiences

I have never thought too highly of poetry. I remember vaguely having read some in high school, but that has been several years ago. The poetry we read, everything seem to rhyme. I remember writing love poems, but that's when I was a teenager. Trying to understand poetry is not one of my strong points. Some poems I need to read several times, so I can really understand what they are trying to say and even then I'm not sure if I'm right. People might see the poem to mean one thing and another person might have a total other meaning of the poem.

When I seen we would be reading poetry in this class, I did not see this as being very pleasing. I must say the poems I have read so far, have not been that bad. So my previous experience with poetry has not changed much with how I think of poetry today. I am hoping over the next couple of weeks, I come to enjoy it and understand more about it.

Poetry Experiences

I can honestly say that I have had very little interaction with poetry. I did take a poetry class back in high school but that was a long time ago and remember very little. Some of the readings sound familiar but are still very new to me. I like how poetry can literally be interpreted differently by everyone. I also like how it's able to make a strong statement with very few words. This may however be very challenging because I find myself already having to read each poem several times to try and understand what the writing is meaning. I do believe that music is also poetry, more sometimes than just a story but left open for interpretations. I am looking forward to just "biting in," as Eve Merriam had said.

Past Experience with Poetry

My experience with poetry is as far from academia as can be. Poems are much more than words on a page, and the spirit of poetry is not something that can be taught. Our- the student's- indoctrination with interpretation of poetry falls short in that it seems to be stale. Though I can't truly speak for everyone, I think that most would agree that poetry's presentation is about as archaic-seeming as liturgy (no offense intended). In this I am drawing a parallel to religious enlightenment, in that we can be taught how we are supposed to interpret a religious text or a poem. My problem with poetry, like too much of the bible, has been my inability to internalize it. Without internalization, our interpretation is superficial and of little value. Of course there is benefit to being taught how to read and interpret, but at what cost is it if our heart isn't in it? Here I would have to say that there is an important difference in the mode of presentation between the poetry of music, and the poetry we read on paper. In music we can hear the tone of the speaker's/singer's voice and understand the message the music is supposed to convey as the sound waves convert to brain waves in an electrical brain storm that stimulates to our deepest emotions. The physics of poetry in music is real. Without this mode, I have a hard time internalizing poetry. The exception to the rule is if it's from someone I know, including myself. I believe that the more we know someone, or why they are trying to convey what they are trying to convey, the more layers we explore and appreciate. Poetry as an art of academia is like poetry for the sake of poetry, and it doesn't strike the right chord in me. Poetry for the sake of spiritual awakening, as an art of the heart, is something I can appreciate.

I do like that poetry is creative and that it has the potential to awake your inner workings. I do find the idea of internalizing something I find dark, a bit detractive, almost intimidating. Because of my past experiences, I need to try to let the reading become more personal for me. It helps me to look at poetry as "ying and yang," in that poetry is both a word art and an art of the heart. It does bother me to think that someone may have written a poem solely to impress the critics that be, as opposed to a form of expression. I need to believe that poetry is an expression of the soul and I don't intend to let the readings detract from this. The readings haven't changed a thing, though I appreciate that we aren't necessarily told what the poems should mean to us.

Poetry - Past Experiences

I have really enjoyed most of the poetry that I have read in the past. I remember in high school having to write our own poetry and I loved doing that. I also remember in high school digging deep into poetry on what the poem actually means, and thinking critically about the poems. Most of the poetry that I enjoy reading is about relationships and life experiences. I also like to look at the lyrics in songs. Lyrics are truly a form of poetry. I think poetry is a beautiful form of writing, because one can interpret it in many different ways. By knowing this basic information I think I was well prepared for the readings for this unit. I also know that when reading poetry you want to read it over a few times to get the full understanding of the poem. Even the smallest element in poetry can make a huge difference in what the author is trying to convey. When reading the reading assignments for this unit, I was a little intimated. I forgot how many different types and styles of poetry there was! I also have not written nor read much of poetry lately. My only recent readings of poetry would be song lyrics. Having said that, I am excited to start this unit!