Poetry is wild, free-spirited, and it's the main interest of escapism lovers. All the emotional souls worldwide cried to their favorite poets and got sensitive about the Romanticism movement. However, poetry is hated way more than prose, and it's less appreciated in many literary circles. Disliking poetry basically has no valid reason, but if you know these top ten facts, you'll understand why people have prejudices towards it and try to overcome them!
10. They Stumble Upon "Popular" Authors
Instagram poetry ruined the experience for many people
Unfortunately, everything "mainstream" becomes "boring and overrated," even when it's not deserved. Some parts of literature tend to become a trend, and poetry falls upon that category as well. Many new, young poets topped the charts and made it to the stars, making literature stans dislike their work.
Maybe you should give these people a chance since some of them really deserve the fame they gained. Not everything that is "cool" has to be necessarily bad. Furthermore, even if you didn't like Rupi Kaur's "Milk and Honey," that's obviously not the only option you have!
9. Maybe They Didn't Dig Deeper
Maybe you'll find a new favorite in this video!
If you only found "mainstream" authors and felt like poetry is unnecessary, you haven't seen half of the actual art. Just like you look for some things a bit longer to find what's your perfect size, the same goes for literature in general. Actually, even some novels everyone liked didn't appeal to you, and that's natural.
For some people, even classics are overrated and make no sense. It just shows how our opinions differ, so if you want to enjoy things as delicate as poetry, you have to do your research and find what fits you the most. Maybe the best poetry works are outside the ordinary, and the world of the Internet allows you to find anything you imagine!
8. They Aren't Into "Pathetic" Stuff
These "sorrowful" words are only for people that don't find them "pathetic"
Although poetry varies and has many forms, expressions, and styles, it is connected through one crucial thing – feelings. Novels don't require emotions, but poems definitely do, so you must build an instant connection with their energy. If it doesn't work, poems probably won't be your cup of tea!
Moreover, many people find several poetry books "basic" and "pathetic," since they are based on high-level sensitivity and perceiving the world as a vulnerable creature. Sad, frustrated, madly in love, celebrating life… Poetry gives you the moments that would sound pathetic, but life is too short to not like that!
7. They Are Practical Instead
In the world of "practical," there's no space for sensitivity that poetry brings
After all, not all people believe in fairytales, rose-colored glasses, and the world of love and feelings. Unfortunately, life is way more boring, so if you're too caught up in your work and responsibilities, maybe you lost interest in the "other side." Now, poetry is too tiring and unrealistic for you.
Instead of feeling like you should be exceptionally practical every day, you should remember that life is not about that. Emotions are a natural thing, so embrace them through poetry. Poems are here to help you escape, and why wouldn't you take a break and finally rest?
6. They Prefer a Long Plot
These novels are probably way more interesting for you
Long plots are a fascinating form of literature, we totally agree. You expect plot twists, dramatic endings, tragic sequences, character development… And if that's what you want, you usually don't really get it in an ordinary poem. You have to choose prose for that, so that's one of the main reasons why loving poetry would be an unpopular opinion.
Nevertheless, some poems are so complete that they actually have a little story inside! Emotions paint their own worlds, and they tell a story, just if you look a bit closer. Even songs prove that, so artists like Taylor Swift manage to narrate someone's whole life in just three minutes of lyrics!
5. School Made Them Dislike It
Homework is a nightmare itself – you already know why
To be fully honest, school ruined some fantastic things, and you'll notice later in life how astonishing they could be. The main reason for that is the pressure teachers put on us, so we don't even like the things we discuss in classes daily. That's the saddest part because literature, and especially poetry, didn't benefit from this.
As far as we're concerned, if you come back to some classic poets that you've read at middle school now, you'd probably enjoy them way more. The reasons behind it? The poems are way more relatable when you're older and more mature, and you definitely have more capability to read a complex poem.
4. Poetry Is So "Out" When You Have Way Too Many Novels
Liking both is the best option, though!
We can argue about it, but the truth is that prose took poetry's crown, and in the new times, novels are the absolute favorite. We feel like these two sides were battling throughout the eras, and prose won with its ability to tell a story and inspire with the developed characters that people are obsessed with!
However, are we, as a society, focused on straightforward things way too much? Shouldn't we be versatile and ready to interpret some more complex stuff? It seems like we live too fast that we forget how exciting literature can be, and poetry gives us that the most!
3. They Don't Read It in a Proper Language
The English language still has the most significant field in literature
One of the crucial problems regarding poetry is definitely the language. Being "lost in translation" is not just a phrase anymore. Even when the translation is very decent, problems with rhyme, or measures of a verse, can possibly occur. As soon as you adjust a poem to another language, it's not the same.
Therefore, it's best to read a poem in its original form, so you'll probably love your mother tongue poetry the most. Poetry is so delicate that it only fits its original form. When you conceive that a foreign poem is not "perfect," think twice because playing with words doesn't work so easily!
2. They Simply Don't Understand It
Understanding a poem is a technique!
When you see that something's too confusing, you either try hard to reread it or give up after the first verse. Unfortunately, people usually take the second option, so many great poems stay untouched. In this way, you skip something you would like if you understood it better.
Reading poems is a skill itself, just like you learn to write them, so you should take a bit more time to learn how to understand them. Of course, you have to be consistent because the more you read, the easier you'll overcome the problem. Actually, you take your time for novels, so why wouldn't you do the same with poems?
1. They Don't Understand That… They Shouldn't Struggle to Understand!
Meet Symbolism, an era of "not understanding"
We know that the need to understand what the poet wanted to tell the public is entirely… understandable. Still, obscure and hermetic poems used to be exceedingly beloved in some eras, just like Symbolism. At those times, it was usual that an author brought out a story that you'll interpret in many different ways.
It depends on your taste, but poems that give you space to think and rethink are usually the greatest ones. Why would only one answer be correct when you can have your own point of view that is also legitimate? Nothing should be too obvious when you have art!
If you belong to a group that never gave a chance to poetry, we hope we managed to change your mind with our top ten list. It would be sad if you went through your life without giving this world a chance because it's waiting for you! Literature can be inspiring even when it's short and rhymed, we promise!
Do you read poetry more than prose, or do you like both? Do you think that poetry is underrated? Let us know!
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