IMPACT OF POETRY ON HUMANS

Poetry helps one to flee to a new world of imagination where one is free to think and let thoughts flow in and out of their mind. It gives us the required freedom of expression. Poetry symbolizes poet's sophisticated protest against the established systems of society.

According to Robert Lee Brewer, Poetry is therapeutic for both reader and writer. Poetry is typically short, but largely emotional. Writers get in touch with sentiments they might not have known until it was down on paper. Depression and anxiety are among the top two mental illnesses being treated through poetry. Poetry is one of the best outlets to express.

Reading poetry allows one to see into the soul of another person, see what is weighing on their minds and on their hearts, and can open door to feelings that are sometimes suppressed until the door gets opened.

Through poetry one can create their ideal world where they can seek refuge transcending the human suffering and tragic experiences of the mortal world.

Many pre-romantic and romantic poets such as William Wordsworth, Thomas Gray, William Cowper, William Collins, Matthew Arnold, Robert Burns and John Keats had created an illusion of their perfect world which reflects in their poetry.

Poetry, if we let it and embrace it; it can offer us a way to empathize with the one another. In its immediacy, poetry is a counselor helping us to understand one another leading us away from hate to love, from violence to mercy and pity.

Poetry is an immediate path for becoming better people and being the change in the world creating a world less about tearing each other down and apart, and more about coming together helping us to realize we are not as different as we think.

Daisy Fried says

"People who talk about poet's social utility often concentrate on content. They think, perhaps, that poetry tells the truth or provides solace. These notions make me queasy, and are treason to poetry. Poetry's social function comes from not what it means but from what it is.”

Poetry can never be discriminated by language. Poetry rather unites all the languages thus giving voice to the words so that it can reach people. Poetry helps to rediscover oneself in their solitude, pain and grief in making one perceive all its attributes and bloom beautifully with thoughts and words.

Poetry also helps in moral edification of an individual thereby broadening their outlook towards society, exposing them to new and diverse cultures and views.

Poetry has also been a constant part of our experience of music and culture in the modern world. While many songwriters are veering away from the traditional rhyme structure of poetry, they are still using a free verse style to capture their thoughts.

Poetry is often considered an archaic means of communication, but the resurgence of concern about poetry and writing has increased its impact. Poetry is often more revered than other forms of writing because it is more difficult to write and even more challenging to sell or use as a main point of a care.

Wendy Cope says

Poetry has been used throughout the time to reflect on various social issues; many women writers use feminist themes. In today's society where the oppression of women has been exposed through the corruption of the government, there is finally discourse that indicates the struggles women have faced since day one saying "we've had enough."

Poetry is not as simple as it seems, nor is it something that needs to be thought of as difficult. It is simply a tool in writing that can allow a writer to convey its emotions and ideas in a shortened form – or longer form, if lyrical poetry is written. In the end, poetry does have an impact on society because it captures our experiences and our lives. And while it might be seen as out of date and old-fashioned, it is still helping to communicate our biggest dreams and our darkest secrets.

Srilekha Mitra

Sources

• https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/8-reasons-why-poetry-is-good-for-the- soul

• https://scalar.usc.edu/works/281---final-project---aa/poetrys-cultural-effect

• https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/articles/68755/does-poetry-have-a-social-function