Youth and poetry
Youth and poetryYouth and Poetry
Poetry by definition is the art of writing that shows more imagination and deep feeling that ordinary speech. Poetry is a set of sensual words with deep meaning, but for some reason young people do not appreciate it. Hugh Maclennan states, "For without poetry these youths were poor.” He was referring to a group of teenagers he encountered, but this statement can be directed to the majority of youths today. Poetry is dead in our lives, and without knowing what it is, we will not realize how important it is. Educational institutions have introduced and taught us poetry, but still we do not grasp the quality and meaning of having poetry in our lives. With poetry comes imagination, but today’s literature does not promote of the exercising of our imagination.
In the past, poetry affected young people even if it was to a small or large degree. It was always present in some part of their lives. Young people enjoyed writing poems of love and joy. They appreciated poetry. Today we claim not to have time on our hands. We are constantly on the run trying to keep up with the fast paced world. How the young generations view poetry is that it is a waste of their time. Because of the new revolution of poetry, the types written these days are of destruction, hate, ugliness, and depression. These cliches of modern poetry repel youths from poetry because they do not want to be constantly reminded of the negative aspects of life. Poetry is fortunately taught in English classes throughout the educational system. Unfortunately, youths do not perceive the importance of poetry because to us, it is a mandatory chore. They are presented in an unappealing way that makes young people almost dislike poetry. English teachers analyze and study every single line in a poem, making students bored in the process. The poetry thus, begins to lose its meaning and value, and becomes just a set of scrambled words. Blaming the way poetry is taught is improper. The youths themselves are also to be blamed for not using their imagination.
The majority of young people today have no sense of imagination or creative thought. We were trained and conditioned in a way where we need not use our creativity to produce a piece of work. Today, instead of reading literature, we are fulfilled by watching movies in theatres. The movies are made in a way that we do not need to use our imagination. Even today’s literature is extensively descriptive to the point where it leaves nothing to the imagination because everything is laid out for us. We are told what colour hair, height, frame size, etc. a character has. When comparing the literature of the past, for example Ulysses, we can find a distinct difference in the context from today’s writing. The media lets us have the easy way out by carving every single aspect of a story leaving nothing to the mind. The importance of poetry is lost to young people.
Youths cannot understand the importance of having poetry in their lives. They have not grasped the concept that without poetry they are “poor.” They are lacking a sense of the dimensions of the mind. Poetry enables oneself to explore and attempt to understand their feelings expressed through words. Poetry among young people is considered “not cool.” It is not something that a regular teenager would do in their spare time, this is especially evident for the male gender. Teenagers are used to following trends, and poetry is not part of the trend these days. Most youths have never experienced the aspects of poetry and the meanings behind it. We have never been affected emotionally to the point where we love reading poetry. Maclennan’s states in Sunset and Evening Star, “Poetry had been stillborn in them, or they had never been exposed to it.”
Youths have to realize the importance of having poetry in their lives, but sometimes it is hard to understand the concept without ever being exposed to it. The way poetry is presented to the students in English classes gives a negative impact on what poetry is. Today’s media and literature does not help to exercise our imagination like it used to. These are some of the main issues that drive away young people. If somehow there is a way to overcome this obstacle, poetry can be rekindled in our lives.