What I’m about to say is going to sound strange coming from a creative writer, but it’s the truth: I’ve never really liked poetry.

I’ve always preferred a straightforward narrative to an abstract piece. In elementary and high school, the meter and rhyme of poetry confused me, and I could never grasp the themes as quickly as I could in a novel or short story. In university, I wrote a few poems when I had to, but I always dreaded them.

While I still prefer the narrative genre over poetry, the more I’ve learned about and explored the form of poetry, the more I appreciate it. I think what made poetry click for me is understanding that poetry is primarily about conveying emotion.

In a narrative, the protagonist will experience a wide variety of emotions that serve as a part of the plot, but there is a whole lot more to it. In poetry on the other hand, the entire piece is dedicated to either describing or evoking a specific emotion in the reader. Because the whole piece is devoted to it, the emotion is felt more strongly.

Since learning this I have enjoyed reading poetry more. Instead of hyper-focusing on all the techniques, I’m now able to get lost in the feeling of it. Now this is not to say that the techniques should be ignored, they are in fact deliberate methods used by the poet to evoke emotions that require tremendous skill to create. They deserve to be appreciated. All I’m trying to say is that if you are someone who gets frustrated trying to analyze a poem, it will be beneficial to take a step back and just try to feel the emotion. You won’t feel it in every poem because that’s a matter of personal taste. But I’m sure it won’t take long for you to find a poem that does move you.

Viewing poetry as a conveying of emotion will also help you write your own. I recommend free verse for a start, especially if you find meter and rhyme confusing. Think of an emotion and begin putting that feeling to paper. It can be as simple as happiness or sadness. You could also explore more nuanced ones like nostalgia or overthinking. Or maybe you want to describe the feeling of love you have for someone who you know doesn’t deserve it, or the dread of climate change felt when forced to push it to the back of your mind. The more specific you get, the less cliché your piece will be.

Once I had my poetry epiphany, I actually started choosing to write poetry over stories in some scenarios. Removing the overcomplication freed me to write whatever I felt compelled by.

Whether you are a reluctant poet like I used to be, or you’re a poetry expert who appreciates hearing different perspectives, I hope that you’ve enjoyed learning about my poetic journey.