How Poetry Makes Us Smarter

Three reasons you should read a poem-a-day

Photo of a woman reading a poetry book outdoors.

Can poetry really make us smarter?

I believe it does.

And it’s one reason I advocate for people to read poetry often. In fact, I encourage you to read one new poem every day. Or dare I say, challenge you to read a poem-a-day.

A great resource for this is to sign-up for the Academy of American Poets’ long-standing Poem-a-Day newsletter.

But in this article, let me explain how poetry can improve our memory, empathy and creativity. The cornerstones of a well-tuned mind.

Poetry and Memory

First and foremost, poetry appeals to our intellects.

It can even aid in the memorization of information.

If we read examples of excellent poetry regularly, it will improve cognition by encouraging us to think more deeply about language and words. This is because great poetry goes beyond simply expressing words. Instead, it employs language to express a myriad of elements: meaning, emotion, and symbolism.

Poetry improves memory recall. When we read a poem that describes an experience that is like one we’ve had, it may frequently cause us to consider the experience from a more vivid and…