Often, when asked, “What is a poem?” many people answer that it is just words arranged in short lines that sometimes rhyme. While they are not entirely wrong and some poems do display those features, this view barely scratches the surface. Poetry goes beyond mere line breaks and rhymes. It is a profound art many poets have uniquely defined.
So let’s discover these definitions and develop our own vision of The Art of Poetry.
1. The art of correspondence.
“The art of correspondence”—this is how French poet Charles Baudelaire, author of The Flowers of Evil, defines poetry. His conception emphasizes how poetry creates a bridge between disparate elements through metaphors and symbolism. For instance, in his poem “Correspondances” Baudelaire writes, “Perfumes, colors and sounds answer one another,” using this poetic image to draw a parallel between distinct senses—smell, sight, and hearing.
Reading a poem, then, is like entering an alternate reality where the poet is aware of his sensations and constantly connecting elements. Those links open the reader to new ways of feeling connections between things that, at first sight, seem unrelated. This proves that verses and rhymes are not essential to poetry. We can find those “correspondences” even in prose. In Swann’s Way, for example, Marcel Proust links the smell of a madeleine to childhood memories.
2. The Seer Poet
This term was introduced by the young poet Arthur Rimbaud in a letter addressed to his professor. In this letter, he claims to have found the poet’s role. He writes, “I say that one must be a seer, make oneself a seer. The Poet makes himself a seer by a long, immense, and rational dissoluteness of all the senses.” Like Baudelaire, Rimbaud also emphasizes connections between the senses. However, Rimbaud takes this idea further, suggesting that the poet is a seer—someone able to see things that others don’t.
The poet’s role is thus to enlighten readers by introducing them to his visions. This ability to have “visions” is present in many poets’ works and it can transform the readers’ perceptions. For instance, after reading Charlotte Forten Grimké’s verses,
“Oh, deep delight to watch the gladsome waves
Exultant leap upon the rugged rocks;
Ever repulsed, yet ever rushing on—
Filled with a life that will not know defeat”
One might not look at waves the same way after discovering Grimké’s depiction of the sea’s waves as a relentless and enduring force.
3. The original poet: Orpheus
The myth of Orpheus is from Greek mythology. According to this myth, Orpheus was a poet and musician whose songs were so soft that animals would follow him and trees bend towards him; he could even soothe the most frustrated men. This myth led to Orphism: the belief that poetry is meant to purify the reader.
4. The definition of poetry and the poet’s role
So now we might ask: What is poetry and what is a poet? Well, is it fair to impose a universal definition and deprive the art and the artists of their liberty? Whether you seek to disturb the readers’ sensations, enlighten them, or heal them, you are a poet. From the moment you choose to express yourself with your unique voice, you become a poet. We are all poets really, we just don’t realize it. Taking a simple sunset picture, for example, makes you a poet since you are capturing a beautiful moment to create emotion. Just remember, poetry is a free art open to anyone wanting to express themselves uniquely and creatively.
Writer Bio: Rania Miyara is a writer who shares her poems on social media and often takes part in poetry contests. She is also working on her first poetry collection. Her inspiration for this article came from all the literature classes where the professor would ask, "What is poetry?" She wanted to share her belief that poetry can be seen anywhere and in anyone, proving that it is not so hard to "poet," while sharing some of her favorite poetry references and facts about the history of this beautiful art.