Poetry is not for everyone… and that’s okay
I remember the first poem I wrote, which was not too long ago. I was so amazed that something with such intense depth could be said in so few words. I was so proud of it. I realized that writing poetry was the way I wanted to express myself the most. Poetry can literally change one’s perspective in a single minute, a blink of the eye and you could have your mind blown, isn’t that just amazing?
However, not everyone shares that sentiment. Many poets try to portray as much depth as possible into their writing. It is not uncommon to find that the words that we string together to evoke the emotions we feel in our poetry is sometimes dark. In my case, one of my poems “Imitation is a form of battery” did not sit well with a peer of mine.
Due to the dark and emotional nature of the poem, describing how it felt to have someone try to steal my life, this peer felt that psychologically, I must be quite messed up. Mind you, this peer of mine was no stranger, they knew me quite well and still chose to pass judgement. Their words hurt and I actually considered giving up writing completely.
I sat and spoke about this situation with my mom, who is a very open minded person but also very logical as well. She told me that not everybody is open-minded, and not everyone has the capability of seeing beyond the surface and that is a reality of life that I as a writer, must accept.
You will always be judged for what you do, what you say and how you say it. Poetry writing is a very expressive, vulnerable piece of work that allows us to connect with our inner emotions in a magnificently deep manner. It’s beautiful in it’s subtlety and endearing in it’s vulnerability. To be able to appreciate poetry, one should be able to read between the lines with ease and understanding, compassion and empathy. It’s not often we find people who possess all of the above traits and that is why, many people will judge you for your words.
After being hurt and being angry, I ruminated on the sentiments of my mother and introspected just a little to understand why I was so hurt by an external person’s mere judgement. I realized that I was completely vulnerable in that poem and this person’s judgement felt like an insult to my inner child. I felt like they laughed at something that mattered. That is the moment I was able to accept that it wasn’t their judgement that hurt me, but my fear of being judged that hurt.
As writers, we need to be okay with people judging us all the time. The things we write may or may not always be based on our personal lives and experiences, but we agree to the terms and conditions that comes with putting our words out there for the world to see. If this isn’t courageous then I don’t know what is. We are brave and we are kind, for the things we write helps us to heal and helps us to teach.
We write for ourselves, hoping to change the world somehow. The words that spill onto the page like water out of a tap, is our unravelling and our legacy. Our physical forms may not live on forever but our words surely will and that is a most wonderful thought. Whatever you choose to write, especially if you write poetry, you will definitely be judged for it and that is okay. A little criticism here and there is never a bad thing. It may hurt a little, but a little introspection could patch that up for you.
We should never give up our words because someone doesn’t understand them. We should keep on writing to open the minds of those who judge. However, when it comes to poetry, the depth it possesses is not for everyone… and it’s important to remember that that is perfectly okay.
