The Poet in You

The soul of a poet is the peace in a storm.

Yes, the heartbeat of my life is writing novels, but poetry gives a blank page life in a way a story cannot. I do not classify myself as a poet. I do not have to write poetry to function, as I do with writing novels. When I am inspired, a story comes to mind instead of a poem. However! Poetry is a way to express the writer's soul, their life, and how they feel about it, in a way story writing cannot. In this post, I want to encourage you to write poetry!

As I said above, I do not classify myself as a poet. I used to think that poetry was an unnecessary writing theme and, honesty, unpopular. I was wrong. I have a writing buddy who is a poet. That is what he does and I love to see the sparkle in his eyes when we talk about poetry. (He also writes everything on an old fashion typewriter! Now, there's no way I can do that, but he can. Impressive, I'd say.) After discussing with him the meaning of poetry, and reading his really good work, I found poetry needs to be part of every creative writer's life. Click here to check out his website and here to see my interview he posted.

Poetry is a chance to dive deep into your inner soul and find the words that flow like a song, from one word to another. I usually write poems to get out negative emotions and process the world around me. He writes because it shows a clearer expression of the world. Whatever the case may be, write poems! 

When I started to listen to other people's poems, they didn't make that much sense. Now, some poems do, but then there are some where one line does not relate with the other or there is so much imagery and metaphors the reader/listener forgets what the writer is trying to say. And that is okay. Poetry is abstract and, just like a painting on the wall, it is subject to interpretation. Yes, a poem might not make sense. Is that wrong? No, not at all. Poems are more about the feeling behind the words then the words themselves anyways. Don't let this hinder you.

Poems also teach you how to stop thinking critically and with your logical brain and how to let your emotions naturally flow from your pen. As a story writer, my words must make sense and the readers much understand or the plot will be ruined. But! What if my soul focus was telling a story and not the emotion, the heart, behind it? Then it would be empty. It would be meaningless. A book must have a soul, and you are responsible for giving it just that. How? By emotion. By passion. By poetry. By letting your soul connect with the story. And how do you teach your inner self to come close to your stories? By practicing with poetry. 

Poems show life in a new way with flowery words that tickle the ears and provoke ideas. Go on, be a poet, if only for a little bit. Let your mind be still and quiet and allow your poet side, the side the feels and creates and wants so desperately to live, to take the helm. Write nonsense if you have to, but write a poem. Your words will be like a stream that builds with ideas and inspiration until it is a river that will find the ocean! Go find the ocean. It's waiting for you.