This is National Poetry Day in the UK. What type of poetry - if any - do you like to read and write?
By John Welford
@indexer (4852)
Leicester, England
October 8, 2015 3:09am CST
"Poetry begins as a lump in the throat - it finds the thought and the thought finds the words". So wrote Robert Frost. This suggests that anyone can be a poet because everyone gets lumps in the throat!
However, there are all sorts of poetic form, from the tight syllable-based forms of Japanese Haikus and Tankas to loose free verse in which the form has to be created by the poet - this might sound easier to write but is in fact much more difficult to do well.
Do you enjoy reading poetry? Do you prefer to have it read aloud? Let's have your thoughts.
Here's my National Poetry day haiku:
Let's all be poets
Making happy and sad words
From lumps in the throat
7 people like this
13 responses
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
8 Oct 15
I like all types of poetry but mostly the poetry of old.
I also like the lyrical verse of the youth today.
3 people like this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
8 Oct 15
@TiarasOceanView I seem to appreciate it in all forms. I've also observed that even rap music can be very cleverly written and very poetic, if you listen very carefully!
2 people like this
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
8 Oct 15
@Lushlala I have a grown son that is a lyricist..haha an MC so yes I love it too Mpho!
I think it is brilliant.
I think it is brilliant.2 people like this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
11 Oct 15
@TiarasOceanView hehe he must be so talented! Free entertainment for you, Ocean :)
1 person likes this
@intal_carl (299)
• Quezon City, Philippines
8 Oct 15
I'm good in writing Filipino poems about my country and about love.
2 people like this
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
10 Oct 15
I like the tone-poetry of music-without-words.
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
8 Oct 15
I've never fancied myself as being big on poetry, whether it's writing or reading it. I mean, I'm nowhere near creative enough to write good poetry, because it takes a lot of skill. I do recognise beautifully written poetry.
But lately, i've ben to a few events where there was poetry being recited and a very bizarre thing's happened to me during all those events. I started to get goose bumps, then a weird feeling washed over me, a lump followed until I was full on bawling my eyes out....WTH?! It always seems to leave me feeling very emotional. I must really like it, after all LOL I think my thing is LIVE poetry.
1 person likes this
@cmoneyspinner (9219)
• Austin, Texas
8 Oct 15
Don't write poetry. Do enjoy reading poetry more than hearing it. If time permitted, would love to be in a club or group that discusses poetry. Lots of people like haiku, but I don't have a favorite "form" of poetry. Although I tend to like poems written in iambic pentameter.
There are many examples of iambic pentameter in Shakespeare's plays including MacBeth and Romeo and Juliet.
1 person likes this
@BAblingOne (85)
• Soignies, Belgium
8 Oct 15
Good evening John , i'm a poetry lover also , honestly the genre i read it depends sometimes on how i'm feelig , but in generall i like all types of poetry .
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
9 Oct 15
Much poetry does begin with a lump in the throat. I like your short poem. Oh, thanks for the welcome!
Jabo regales her far flung audience with delightful limericks. I do write poetry and even won some contests in our Oregon Poetry Association. I need to get back to that.
