Poetry and the Imagination

The poet’s eye, in a fine frenzy rolling
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven,
And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen
Turns them to shapes, and give to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.

- Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

I just concluded my time of leading a class on poetry and the imagination. In my prep for this class, I have had the freedom of going wherever my heart desires, and that is a lot of fun as the roads into poetry are endless and they diverge many times into branches I wish to follow. There are so many places I want to go with poetry, it was difficult to pick and choose the poems to dive into.

In my intro, I explained why I chose to lead a class on poetry, recognizing that poetry isn't for everyone, and it is okay if you don't like it. In fact, poetry would not be the special thing that it is if it were on the bestseller list and everyone loved it. But still, I will always try to encourage others to explore poetry, and it doesn't have to be a regular daily thing for everyone. In my sharing of poetry, I aim to open the door for others to step into (or out of), if they wish. I will show a glimpse of what is beyond, but I cannot force one to enter. That part is up to each person.

A few little rules I outlined in class:

Rules of Poetry

1. Poetry is meant to be read aloud. There is something in the giving the words the space to mingle in the air and in the hearts of the listeners. And every listener will imagine something slightly different.

2. Poetry is meant to be enjoyed and played with. Even serious poems. The poet has selected words very carefully for a purpose. Your job as the reader is to explore the poem with your own view and life experience to interpret it in your own mind using your imagination.

3. Not everyone will love poetry, and that’s okay. If everyone loved poetry, it would lose something of its quality. The fact that few people really enjoy it, keeps it at a special status. Not trite, or overused, or made dull. It is not a fad - it is not something popular then fading.

4. Poetry requires thought and attention. You have to have a certain mind that likes to mingle with words and dwell in them, and that is not for everyone. It’s a solitary venture sometimes, unless you are reading out loud with others to explore together.

So what about you? Do you like poetry? Would you like to learn more?