Writing poetry is a brave act of truth and power. Writing about poetry is an act of kindness and identification. Both are ineffable sides of the human experience. Poetry is so much more than most people think it is, particularly modern poetry. I have definitely appreciated learning more about the structures of poetry in this class, particularly because one must know the rules of an art form before one can properly break the rules. The best way to fight the power is to know the power you are fighting against.
I'm currently taking a Theories of Poetry class, reading essays and excerpts from famous poets on why they write poetry, and how. It's been transformative for my process of writing poetry, and also has helped me to be able to speak about poetry properly and with more tact. Writing more poetry with the proper context of the history of poetry has made my poetry feel that much stronger. Getting to perform it in front of the class was also really fun. I really wish I could have stayed longer, but alas, life has a way of making things difficult.
In any case, taking this into my future as a teacher, I will absolutely be teaching my students about the history and theory of poetry, as well as the in depth analysis portion as we write poetry. Coming at it from all sides with that three-pronged approach, I think, is the best way to keep them engaged while also making sure that some true academia is happening.
