There’s No “Right” Way to Read Poetry

The only requirement is an open mind.

I want you to stick with me through this one; I think you should try picking up a collection of poetry. I know many people were turned off by the idea of poetry early on as a result of reading (or being forced to memorize) something pretentious and boring in school and then analyzing it to death. Maybe you’ve seen one too many media depictions of readings in coffee houses or college theaters accompanied by a bongo drum. Or maybe it just feels like a lot of effort when you want to pick up a book that’s relaxing and fun.

I hear you, I do. But for this National Poetry Month, I think you should give it a fresh try. If you’re someone who savors a perfect sentence in a novel, someone who sings along with your favorite song because the lyrics resonate perfectly, someone who snorts at clever wordplay, or someone who watches tearjerker movies for the emotional release, there is poetry you will love. And, more importantly, you shouldn’t overthink any “right” way to read it.

I saw this Mary Oliver bumper sticker on a car a month ago and have been thinking about since <3

As I’ve mentioned before, I adored silly poems as a kid by Shel Silverstein, Judith Viorst, and Jack Prelutsky, and from there, grew to love more “serious” collections for children by Langston Hughes and Carl Sandburg. Sometime shortly after that I became positive that any poems not written for children were both indecipherable and boring. Being the Millennial stereotype that I am, my interest as an adult was first reignited largely by Rupi Kaur poems on Instagram. While she has been pretty overexposed at this point, seeing her perform live at the Chicago Theater was an incredible communal experience.

In the years since, I’ve picked up collections that range in their format, tone, and subjects, and found pieces that hit me like a punch in the gut in the best possible way. I have a hard time articulating what does and doesn’t resonate with me and rather than “properly” learning how to read poetry, have naturally settled into an approach that works for me. I usually read through a poem at least twice. First to get my bearings, understanding the scene or action if there is any, and then a second time, slowly, savoring the rhythm, musicality, and mood.

In my April round up in a few weeks I’ll touch on some more recent and unique discoveries (A poetry and art/zine mashup! Horror poetry!) but in the meantime, here are some favorites I’d recommend:

The Book of Delights by Ross Gay: Short, lyrical essays about everyday joys over the course of a year. Read one of his poems here, and an essay here.

And Yet and What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer. Read one of her poems here.

Wild Hundreds by Nate Marshall. See his poem “When I Say Chicago,” and three others here.

You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson. See her perform “MAGA Hat in the Chemo Room.”

Loose Woman by Sandra Cisneros.

Homie by Danez Smith. See a short excerpt here.

Love Poems by Pablo Neruda.

Instagram is also a great place to discover new poets and styles. Some recent favorites shown below.

Sazerac isn’t sure he “gets” poetry, but he’s a fan of The Book of Delights. Margot’s favorite is You Better be Lightning. She misunderstood the title as a threat, but related as she read it after all.

Are there any poets you love? Have you sworn off poetry altogether since needing to recite “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” in middle school, or was that just me? Are you open to giving it another try?