Passion Project: Poetry

Which form of poetry best facilitates self expression?

Olivia Appel
Sitterud
P2 CP English 12
5 December, 2017
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Olivia Appel

Mr. Sitterud

P2 CP English 12

5 December, 2017

Which form of poetry best facilitates self expression?

Humans have been experimenting with introspection since the development of complex

thought. Whether scientific, philosophic, or purely aesthetic, it seems that our fascination with

ourselves will never die out. Poetry, throughout human history, has been one of the most

popular-- and convoluted-- ways of expressing this internal journey. From ballads and epics

requiring meticulous storyboarding and structure to the freewrites of todays free-form poets,

there are endless ways to express ones thoughts and feelings through prose. With so many

different types of poems, however, it can be easy to get lost in the sea of options. Thusly, a

pertinent question manifests: which form of poetry best facilitates self expression? After

analyzing the pros and cons of the two most basic categories, as well as the reasoning behind

the human drive to express, it is clear that only one form of poetry allows the writer the creative

freedom required for emotional release-- artistic poetry.

To understand the complexity of self expression, one must first understand the

complexity of the medium they wish to use. In this case, our medium can be simplified into two

deceivingly simple categories: structural poetry and artistic poetry. While structural poetry, with

its emphasis on syllables, spacing, and rhyme, is often advocated by poetic conservatives and

adored for its roots in tradition, proponents of the more modern poetic form have often stated

that, in such a rigid genre, ... the staid manner of the poem cannot let [their] feelings through.

(William Carlos Williams, The Poem as a Field of Action) Conversely, the artistic branch of

poetry follows very few rules, often incorporating other fields of expression into their works,
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such as visual representations and spoken word. (Gary R. Hess, Types of Poems) Those who

subscribe to the artistic form often do so because they enjoy the freedom that comes with it; they

enjoy being able to combine expressive forms and make their own unique creations. There are

critics, however, who believe that this liberal iteration istoo pretty, too empty of meaningful

content. (Marjorie Perloff, Writing as Re-Writing: Concrete Poetry as Arriere-Garde) Its

focus on artfulness, ironically, takes away from the original art form.

Though they portray entirely different viewpoints, these poetic forms lead to the next area

of focus: why do humans express ourselves in the first place? This question can be answered via

the evolutionary perspective of psychology, which was inspired by Charles Darwins Theory of

Evolution. (David Myers, Myers Psychology for AP) This theory explains that, in our most

primitive form, humans are no better than any other animal. Each of us possesses two instinctive

motivations in life: survival and reproduction. Communication developed as a way to facilitate

these basic drives. Over time, however, it has evolved into something more. In todays society,

self expression satisfies an emotional need to be not only heard, but listened to-- even if the only

available listener is yourself. It is this need that renders poetry and similar art forms ...

something as necessary as bread in the pockets of the hungry. (Mary Oliver)

While each of us requires the voicing of our opinions-- whether for basic survival or

emotional satisfaction-- there are a million ways to go about it. Each method of poetic

transcription comes with its own features, which may be satisfactory or unsatisfactory to an

individual based on their specific preferences. Just as humans do not come in cookie-cutter

forms, neither should poetry. This is why, when relating back to the essential question of this

paper, the importance of flexibility becomes inseparably entangled in the creative process.

Though the structural aesthetic of haikus, limericks, and epics are tantalizing in principle, the
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artistic process is often hindered by the obtrusive rules set forth by these forms. Thusly, many

poets and myself maintain the assertion that the freedom lent by artistic poetry ...speaks more to

the inner workings of someones desires than structural stipulation. (Tiffany Millerbis,

interview) Through the artistic license that artistic poetry lends, one is more likely to be able to

express their thoughts in the first place.

From the basic components of the poetic forms to the basic requirements for expression,

the choice is made clear. Though tradition is valuable in its own way, it is flexibility that allows

us to take traditional inspiration and make it our own. Artistic poetry, though not the perfect form

by any means, undoubtedly lends crucial elements that structural poetry lacks. Rules and

restrictions, though they may dictate beauty for some, only stunt the growth of ones creative

flow. For this reason and many others, structural poetry is undoubtedly the supreme foundation

for emotional expression.

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Works Cited

Appel, Olivia L, and Tiffany Millerbis. Tiffany Millerbis Interview. 30 Nov. 2017.

History of Poetry, www.poetrysoup.com/poetry/history_of_poetry.aspx.

Tips on Reciting : Poetry Out Loud, www.poetryoutloud.org/poems-and-performance/tips-on-

reciting.

The Iconic Fallacy Revisited: www.lehman.cuny.edu/ciberletras/v17/perloff.htm.

Google Search, Google,

www.google.com/search?q=quotes+on+why+to+write+poetry&safe=strict&rlz=1C1GGR

V_enUS768US768&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiw1YCh4-

HXAhVowFQKHVWwDtIQ_AUICigB&biw=1600&bih=794#imgrc=0kGPHv7Kqa4LO

M:

Hazelton, Rebecca. Learning the Poetic Line by Rebecca Hazelton. Poetry Foundation, Poetry

Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/70144/learning-the-poetic-line.

Myers, David G. Myers' Psychology for AP. Worth Publishers, 2014.

Triolet: Poetic Form. Poets.org, Academy of American Poets, 24 June 2016,

www.poets.org/poetsorg/collection/poetic-forms.

Types of Poems. Poem of Quotes: Read, Write, Learn,

poemofquotes.com/articles/poetry_forms.php.

What Use Is Poetry? World Literature Today, 26 Aug. 2013,

www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2013/september/what-use-poetry-meena-alexander.

What Is Poetry. Poetry.org, www.poetry.org/whatis.htm.

Williams, William Carlos. The Poem as a Field of Action by William Carlos Williams. Poetry

Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/69393/the-poem-as-a-

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field-of-action.