Hot take: I used to INSIST our book club avoid poetry, total switch now

I thought poetry was too vague for good group talks and always voted against it. Then we read a short collection and someone pointed out the rhythm in a political poem. That discussion showed me how form MEANING connects to content in wild ways. Now I see poetry can spark the BEST debates we've had.

3 comments

3 Comments

sarahs392d ago

Try analyzing how the sound of a poem fights or fits with what it says. Our group dug into that once and it totally changed how we talk about everything now.

annaf731d ago

Look at how sound can actually lie to you... like in Frost's "The Road Not Taken." The rhythm is all steady and sure, like walking, but the words are about a choice he can't really make. That steady beat makes the whole thing feel more final than it is, like the sound tricks you into believing the meaning. It's not just fighting or fitting, it's doing its own sneaky work. Makes you wonder what else you've missed just listening to the beat.

janag432d ago

When you say poetry sparks the BEST debates, I get it, but is picking apart rhythm really that big a deal? Like @sarahs39 mentioned sound fighting meaning, but sometimes it feels like we're reading too much into it. My group once argued for ages about the pauses in a single line, and I just kept thinking about how that time could've been spent on a juicy novel twist. It's fun to talk about, but calling it the most serious discussion seems like a stretch!