“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words” – Robert Frost
Poetry is a distinct form of expression, utilising carefully chosen words to convey thoughts, paint vivid pictures, and tell captivating stories.
In simple terms, poetry is when words come together to create something meaningful and emotional.
Some poems have a structure, with lines that rhyme and a specific rhythm based on how many syllables are in each line. Others, however, are freeform, meaning they don’t follow any particular rules.
Structured poems sound musical with their rhyming and rhythmic patterns, creating a kind of flow. On the other hand, freeform poems break away from these rules, letting the poet express themselves more freely.
What makes poetry beautiful is that it gives poets the freedom to share feelings, thoughts, or stories in unique and creative ways. This flexibility allows poets to play with language.
Poetry has been a way of telling stories for a very long time. From ancient tales to the poems we hear today, poetry helps us understand where we come from and who we are.
Why Poetry Matters
Poetry serves different purposes: it is a simple yet powerful way of using words to express ourselves. Some of its importance are listed below.
1. Expression of Emotion
Poetry is like a friend that helps us share our feelings, it allows us to talk about happiness, sadness, love, and everything in between. Reading or writing poetry can be like a comforting conversation with our emotions. Poetry tells stories, but it does it in a shorter and more condensed form. Poets use their creativity to take us on a journey or share an experience.
2. Beautifies Words
Poets use special techniques to make words sound and look lovely. They might compare things, give human qualities to non-human things, or paint vivid pictures with their words. This makes poetry an art that pleases our senses.
3. Relates Societal Issues
Sometimes, poets use their words to talk about what’s happening in the society and world at large. They share their thoughts on politics or things that affect people. Poetry is a mirror that helps us see ourselves better. It lets us think about who we are, our experiences, and what makes us unique.
So, poetry becomes a mirror reflecting our daily lives, capturing our joys, struggles, and dreams.
4. Preserving Culture and History
Poets help keep alive the stories, traditions, and history of different cultures. They use words to pass on important parts of our heritage, ensuring that future generations can learn and appreciate where they come from.
Elements of Poetry
The elements of poetry are the essential components that make up a poem. These elements include:
1. Meter and Rhyme
A meter is the rhythm created by stressed and unstressed syllables, like the beats in music. For example, in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, the regular iambic pentameter creates a soothing rhythm.
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.”
Rhyme, on the other hand, is when words sound alike, often at the end of lines. In Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” the rhyme scheme contributes to the poem’s melodic flow.
“The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”
2. Imagery and Symbolism
Imagery is when poets use vivid and descriptive language to create mental images for readers. This helps convey emotions and connect with readers.
In Gabriel Okara’s “Piano and Drums,” we see an example of imagery.
“While my fingers on piano keys,
Will strum and drum loud”.
Symbolism involves symbols to convey abstract ideas or emotions. These symbols can be objects, colours, or even natural elements, adding layers of meaning to the verses.
Example of symbolism in Christopher Okigbo’s “The Passage“.
“The passage wears us all like a raw garment,
Time shapes it.”
3. Sound Devices
The “sound devices” used in poetry, such as alliteration, assonance, and consonance, improve the auditory experience. These devices create a melodic quality, that adds rhythm and music to the verses.
Alliteration is the repetition of initial sounds, as seen in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven“.
“While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.“
Assonance involves repeating vowel sounds, as demonstrated in William Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”.
“A host, of golden daffodils;
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.”
Consonance involves repeating consonant sounds as found in Niyi Osundare’s “Elegy for a Nation”.
“Of dead hope, of dead years—
The conches are dirges here.”
4. Structure and Form
The structure and form of a poem provide the framework for its expression. Different forms, such as sonnets or haikus, have specific rules, guiding how lines and stanzas are arranged. In John Pepper Clark’s “Ibadan,” the form captures the identity of the city.
“Running splash of rust and gold—”
5. Tone and Mood
Tone and mood are the emotional undercurrents of poetry. The tone is the author’s attitude, whether it’s joyful, solemn, or playful.
In Chinua Achebe’s “Refugee Mother and Child,” the tone is sombre.
“No Madonna and Child could touch,
That picture of a mother’s tenderness.”
The mood is the overall feeling the poem evokes. The mood in Gabriel Okara’s “Once Upon a Time” is reflective.
“I have learnt to wear many faces,
Like dresses.”
6. Figurative Speech
Figurative speech, including metaphors and similes, adds depth to Nigerian poetry. Metaphors compare two unlike things without using “like” or “as.” In Sylvia Plath’s “Metaphors,” the speaker uses metaphors to explore pregnancy.
“An elephant, a ponderous house,
A melon strolling on two tendrils.”
Similes use “like” or “as” for comparison. The similes in Gabriel Okara’s “Once Upon a Time” enhance the imagery.
“like the air between the ropes,
like a girl’s school, I say.”
7. Repetition
Repetition involves repeating words, sounds, or phrases for emphasis. In Christopher Okigbo’s “Limits,” repetition reinforces the title.
“There is nothing behind the door,
In the room, no place to hide the world.”
8. Narrative Elements
Narrative elements in poetry involve storytelling through verse. Narrative poems have characters, a plot, and a setting, combining the elements of storytelling with the beauty of poetic language.
In Chinua Achebe’s “Chike’s School Days,” narrative elements unfold the story.
“Chike came home to Onitsha for the Christmas holidays.
He had just turned twelve and his two years at the mission school—”
Use of Prose
The prose is how we normally speak and write. But in poetry, poets mix this regular talk into their poems to make them more down-to-earth and easy to understand.
In poems, you’ll find this mix of everyday talk and poetic words. It’s like having a chat in the middle of a poem. This mix helps make the poem feel more like a friendly conversation while keeping that special touch of poetry.
Writing prose involves putting words together in different ways, like in short stories, poetry, or essays. How you arrange these words is important for guiding readers, and it’s okay if the lines aren’t all the same length or if you don’t use literary tricks.
Prose usually follows a simple structure, using sentences to make paragraphs. Chances are, your favourite book, poem, or speech is written in prose because it’s the most common way people write. Prose is flexible, letting you express things in short stories or essays.
When working with prose, think about how you organise your words to share your ideas. It’s like painting a picture with words, whether you’re writing a rhythmic poem or telling a straightforward story in an essay.
Poetry connects us to our past, tells our stories, and helps us make sense of the world around us. Let’s embrace the beauty of poetry and enjoy what words can create.
Want to improve your grammar, check out this post on how to use past and present tenses.