National Poetry Day

Chapter 9

A riddle and a rhyme,
In the ghost of the breeze,
Haven’t you heard only the worst,
Come in packs of threes?

If you know me, you know my love for poetry. I’m a huge poetry fan and when I realised that National Poetry Day was rolling around this October, you bet your pants off that I was going to write it. I already write a column dedicated to the poems of the month (A Troubadour’s Tales) so you know I’m legit.

Come, come in,
Don’t fear the dim,
They won’t bite,
It’s not yet night.

So shall we first discuss what a poem actually is? Well, Collins Dictionary says that “an arrangement of words written or spoken: traditionally a rhythmical composition, sometimes rhymed, expressing experiences, ideas, or emotions in a style more concentrated, imaginative, and powerful than that of ordinary speech or prose: some poems are in metre, some in free verse.” is a poem. But how boring is that? How utterly unpoetic, a clear reversal of the dear lilting melodies of poetry, a breach against all my values as a poet myself. Let me see if I can do better.

A poem is a story. Filled with words, given life by breath and touched tenderly with ink. Capturing the rapturous attention of even the smallest of winds, every word leaving traces of emotion from past, present, or future. Perhaps all; perhaps none. Perhaps some are done for fun. But either way, from either side, no rules there are for you to abide. Written in rhyme and spoken in truth, steeped in lies and kissed by youth. Every word a lie, every step a crime, every ink blotch a tear of love while the stars look on, beloved, above.

I do love poetry. I think it’s a brilliant expression of thought and emotion and I don’t quite think that I even have the words to describe my admiration, poet though I am.

Famous poets throughout history have contributed lots to our literary knowledge through epic works such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Homeric epics of The Iliad and The Odyssey, all the way to glorious depictions done by those akin to Dante and Aristotle.

Whisper, whisper, here I come,
Wait and while your laces undone,
Come for me in the dark, my sweet,
Show me how I have you all to me.

Many scholars believe that poetry was originally oral—that is, spoken—and dates all the way back to the 3rd millennium BCE. That’s the early Bronze age—beginning around the year 2100. So thousands of years ago, am I right? No, but seriously—poetry is a really old art and it’s incredibly prevalent in history. Some of the most beautiful poems are thousands of years old, inscribed on stone tablets and available in museums. Others are oral stories passed down hundreds of generations, warping to a unique version for every speaker. Isn’t that wonderful and mesmerising, to think that even our ancestors before us were such appreciative beings? I don’t know about you, but to me, that’s massively inspirational. It’s one of the things I love about poetry.

To celebrate National Poetry Day, you can do a whole lot of things! Here are some ideas:

Read a poem itself! There are thousands of poems accessible on the web for all of you lovely readers to view. If you want a quick read, we actually have a poetry chapter in this very book—flip to A Troubadour’s Tales to read the poems of the month!
Write a poem! I know it seems hard, but if you think about it, anyone can do it. Just express what’s in your heart—the secret to writing poetry isn’t using as many metaphors or similes as possible, or using an ABAB rhyming scheme. It’s writing with your heart, and really truly feeling yourself and your inner emotions. Give it a go—you might find your inner poet!
Show some appreciation for other poets! Even if you’re not a poet yourself, or not a frequent poetry reader, there are hundreds of thousands of skilled poets out there who put tons of effort into their poetry. Show a public appreciation post—celebrate our amazingly-writing neighbours! And if you know a friend who’s giving poetry a shot, go encourage them!

Well, there you have it. My thoughts on poetry, how you can celebrate it, and a little tidbit about the origins. I hope you loved this chapter! Read onward for more of your favourite magazine, Hogwarts Monthly News :)

Written by Sara Rowan.
Edited by Daphne Clarke.
Proofread by Hazel Antler.