Redefining the Poem

As I browsed the Web today, searching out the modern poetry of my contemporaries, I have come to the realization that poetry is nothing like I thought that it was. I mean, growing up, I was taught that poems are supposed to rhyme and be descriptive and sometimes witty and nice to read. As I surfed around a few online forums, I discovered just what poetry has come to be.

Anything you want it to be. About anything you want it to be. Really.

I sat down and read lots and lots of poems. Poems about bad dates and drugs and old books and sadness and happiness and drinking your life away. Well, I guess the content hasn't changed that much, now that I think about it.

But the form?  I found a few poems that were like, a line.  And the comments went wild!  I guess I just need a little more practice with the modern take on poetry. 

However, I did think it was pretty cool that I COULD do this.  And don’t get me wrong, I found a few gems that were truly inspiring!  As I browsed the comments, I found that the authors had linked the poems to their blogs and Youtube profiles as well.   That is a GREAT idea!  How nice to be able to connect all your work so easily and attract followers! 

This got me thinking.  What if all the present-day technology had been around when the classic poets were writing back in the old times?  It would be sweet!  I bet you’d hear people all over saying, “Oh my gosh, did you SEE what Shakespeare threw down on the forum last night?!  ‘To be or not to be…’ He’s soooo hipster!”  Wouldn’t that be great?

{Look, he has an earring.  Hipster when it was still frowned upon.}

Anyway, this experience has definitely been enlightening.  I’ve discovered new ways to find other poets, new ways to have my own work read, and new…ideas on what poetry is in and of itself.