Happy National poetry Month
People always say actions speak louder than words, but what if your feelings are too intense to act on? You write! Poetry has been a form of self expression since before history was ever written down. Prehistoric civilizations used chants and hymns to tell stories, and by the 25th century B.C.E., the Egyptians were writing poetry in the pyramids. The word “poetry” comes from the Greek word “poieo” which means “I create”, and that it does! Poetry and lyrics are a wonderful way to express feelings you might not be able to say out loud. Poetry is all about manifestation and a way to freeze a memory of a feeling in time, and is also one of the most effective ways to understand different cultures and emotions.
At its core, music with lyrics is poetry. Words that flow together to convey emotion when speaking out loud in a conversational way is not possible. The beauty of poetry is the connection, not only one’s own emotions, but to whomever might read it. And the same goes for songs. For me, sometimes listening to a song for the first time and really listening to the lyrics, helps me understand, on a deeper level, a feeling I have. And as a teen girl, lyrics and songs are a very important way to connect to other adolescents. I can name a number of times I have mentioned a song, and someone my age has said “I love that song” or “I feel you on that”. It opens up a window for people who might have a harder time connecting with peers; to relate to one another on something.Â
I was always very invested in music and singing as a kid. As someone who grew up always having a hard time expressing my emotions in a healthy way, music and songs have been a way for me to express the feelings I do not know how to talk about. This also contributes to my upbringing in musical theater. As a kid who was very self conscious, performing and singing helped me get through some of the hardest parts of growing up, and taught me valuable lessons of self worth on the way. Now that I am older and I have lived a little more, I have a lot of my own experiences and feelings I want to talk about, but sometimes just can not find the words to tell people. When I realized I truly was not expressing myself to my fullest, I decided to start writing poetry.Â
My first semester of college has been everything you can imagine for a small town girl who graduated with 65 kids, now at a school with over 30,000. Being at college, even for just a semester and a half, has really put into perspective my values, beliefs, and solidified the vision of who I aspire to be in everyday life.Â
Self care has been a very important part of my daily life and I believe should be implemented into everyone’s daily schedule. Any form of self care whether it is going to the gym, eating a yummy meal, doing your makeup, or even just taking a little nap is a great way to recharge your body during the day. As a busy college student something that has helped with my mental health is taking time every day to do one thing for myself. One form of self care I do almost every day is writing. Since talking about my feelings has never really been my strongest asset, I turned to poetry.Â
By writing, I realized that I have become much more self aware and able to identify how I am truly feeling. Poetry has gotten me out of one of the biggest slumps and helped me identify my emotions, therefore helping me know what to do to better my mental health. And writing poetry also led me to pick up guitar and start writing music; bridging two of my favorite hobbies. This is when I realized that anyone can write poetry. Even if you think you are “bad” at writing, poetry is a form of expression, so anything is considered “good” poetry, as long as it is honest and true to you.
Writing poems can open eyes for others, make them feel seen and also help the person writing to express themselves in a positive way. Art is one of the most important parts of our society that is slowly being lost to things such as the internet and most significantly, AI. So by writing poems, songs, and finding a creative outlet to talk about your feelings, you can not only help others connect but also help yourself be a more open and honest version of yourself.Â