During our recent ASTU classes, we have examined the features of poetry and what exactly makes a written piece a poem. We explored what we thought poetry is and how some of our ideas are prevalent to dominant poetry in the last century; Lyric poetry. The blogs in our ASTU class decided to expand on what we have been focusing in class.
Anjali begins by discussing the different emotions poetry can evoke. She mentions that she enjoys how poetry encourages imagination because of how vaguely they can be written. This is evident in the ‘Photograph from September 11’ poem. Anjali claims that if we were not aware of the title, “we probably wouldn’t have known that the poem was about 9/11”.
Likewise, Esther depicts her interest in the way poetry in the current era can convey meaning. This differs from other modes of ‘reporting’ because she believes “poetry is a realm of freedom”. Similar to Anjali, what was most important and interesting about poetry for Esther is how “deeply it [poems] can evoke a certain emotion or thought”. As she states, this makes poems become more memorable.
Interestingly, David evaluates the way in which events are portrayed through poetry. He discusses the ways in which poems can be about similar events, yet written and structured so differently. For example, reading “You Throw a Stone” made him more aware of “how space in the lines can create symbols that help strengthen the poem’s meaning”. Like Anjali and Esther, David also examines how the vagueness of poems can evoke such strong emotions “such as Death of the Ball Turret Gunner”.
Other students who did not have a huge interest in poetry presented a new prospective they gained during this poetry unit. Benny states that Juliana Spahrs’ short book “disconnection of everyone with lungs “has opened a new approach to poetry. He discusses how the feelings expressed in the poem or relatable, to him and to many Americans, because of the event that was taking place at the time. this units of poetry differs from what he learned in high school, from love poems, to learning more about poems written about real life events that have affected millions of people.
In addition Edward has also taken a new similar approach. Instead of learning about poetic terms used to analyze poems, he enjoys learning more about what we should be looking for in poems, specially in terms of expression in culture and politics.
Alexa has also really enjoy this poetry unit because it has given her a more similar and broad perspective, like Benny and Edward, of the world. She states that “by conceptualizing globalization, dramatic events, and individualism through art and with them, poetry allows me to connect different obstructions and patterns through a new lens”. This is exemplified in Spahrs’ first poem about the connection of breathing in living things.
Like Benny, Edward, and Alexa, Daniela also was not too fond of poetry until she began this unit which broadened her perspective. She understands that poetry is a way of “bringing thoughts to life“. She points out that “these perspectives are crucial to our collective understanding of the world“. She claims that poetry is not only a platform to depict relatableness but it is also a form of expression where we can convey emotions that can help others understand the world we live in.
Like most of my peers, I have enjoyed taking a different approach to poetry. I have always been interested in learning about poetry but I find it fascinating when you can draw connections between poetry and real life events and how we can use this platform of expression to understand others.
Blogs cited:
Anjali – https://blogs.ubc.ca/abentley/
Esther – https://blogs.ubc.ca/astuhomework/
David – https://blogs.ubc.ca/davidscorner/
Benny – https://blogs.ubc.ca/bennyastu/
Edward – https://blogs.ubc.ca/edwardyinblog/
Alexa – https://blogs.ubc.ca/alexafordyblog/
Daniela – https://blogs.ubc.ca/danielaastu/