Reading Poetry

[Anne]

With poetry, I think I'm above the level of Charles in Odyssey, but sometimes it doesn't feel like by that much.
For me poetry is really hard to understand. First, maybe I should explain that I'm not talking about light poetry like limericks, but more the classic poetry like Emily Dickinson, Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, etc.
I wouldn't mind just reading poetry, but I'm supposed to analyze (tone, literary devices, etc.) a whole bunch of poems (which I should be doing right now).
Has anyone else had to go through the horrors of anaylzing poetry to death?

[Elf of Rivendell]

I like reading poetry for the most part. Granted, I like prose better- but poetry can be quite refreshing to read sometimes. And like you, I dislike poetry analysis. I don't HATE it, but I still don't like it. Now analyzing a poem like Jabberwocky (Lewis Carroll) is sheer insanity...but fun, if you actually feel up to doing it.

[Sonuna]

I will read it, and some of it's written very well. But I find doing homework on it hard and boring-ish, mostly because I don't read anywhere vaguely close to the "intended" stress pattern. Heh.

[Trent DeWhite]

I certainly think I possess a higher intelligence than Charles when it comes to poetry, but I can't say I necessarily enjoy reading it, either. While I can appreciate Tolkien's poetry, I find Shakespeare's writings confounding.

[Evil Chick]

I don't mind poetry. I am definitely not a good poetry writer, but reading it isn't too bad. As long as the poems rhyme. I can't stand poems that don't rhyme. What makes them poems if they don't rhyme?

[HarlowRoxMySox]

Poetry is all about rhythem. I love poetry personally, especially writing it. Very few of mine rhyme though. It's all about feeling it deep down in your soul, a good poem will draw out your emotions. Pain, joy, peace, turmoil, you should truly be able to just feel poetry.

[Anne]

I agree that poetry is great when you can feel it. The problem is when you can't feel it, which is often the case for me.
I like poetry that rhymes better sometimes, but the poetry that I like best is the poetry that says what it means. I hate poetry that has a completely different meaning that seems impossible to find. For example, "O Captain, my Captain" (I think it is by Walt Whitman). The poem is all about a captain that died, I thought, then my teacher said that it is actually about Abraham Lincoln. How a person was supposed to get that, I'm not sure.

[Manda]

My favorite poet of all time is Robert Kipling, he is so wonderful! Then Ben Johnson, Emily Dickinson and Shakespeare.

[Elf of Rivendell]

Oh yes... O Captain, My Captain is a great poem. I had to memorize it in ninth grade, and I rather enjoyed it. I don't remember it anymore though, sadly. I probably still have the poem buried somewhere in my overstuffed school folder from last year.

[Chandler]

I voted for the second option. Some poetry is fine for reading... I've softened to it over the years. Interpreting it is a different story; I'm pretty clueless.

[Bandit Squirrel]

I don't really like poetry. It does not have much meaning for me. I definately have trouble analyzing it. I find poetry rather boring.

[Mr. Jack Allen]

Poetry is great! Check out my friends poetry site- www.xanga.com/weien
I like "Lilac Sea" the best.

[Laurie]

I don't really like poetry. It does not have much meaning for me. I definately have trouble analyzing it. I find poetry rather boring.

My thoughts exactly. I would rather read fiction or history.

[Nick Riley]

^ditto that

[Jennifer Doyle]

I really have to be in a mood for poetry. Also, it needs to rhyeme.