I graduated high school in 1981 and can still hear the English classes’ groans when Poetry came up. I never heard of anyone who liked this part of class. Still think I might be the only one – I can’t be, can I?
Now I always seem to cheer the underdog so does this mean Poetry is the underdog medium?
Who really understands this medium anyways? We were always asked to tell what the author meant. I’ll repeat myself – how would I know, I wasn’t there. And if learning is repeating what has been believed – meaning studied the same way from the first who wrote it down, spoke of their thoughts – well, what if they were wrong? Who’s to tell them and those who have followed that poem A was not a love poem but a break-up/hate poem?
Why can’t there be a different meaning as well as what is popular belief? Maybe this is why Poetry was my favourite part of class, but also my weakest grade.
Do you write for others to read it the same as you felt it?
Or, do you write for yourself and want others to find their own meaning?
In the end what does it matter? I’ll keep cheering on the underdog and keep writing.