Let's Talk About: Poetry as a Tool with Sarah Mckee
Hello, everyone. Today I'm excited to say that the topic of Other Swell is something that I love and cherish with all my heart. Today we will be talking about poetry and maybe even reading some stick around and find out writing. But especially writing poetry is something that has been and close to my heart for most of my life. My major actually concentrates on poetry
Sarah McKee
@sarberry · 2:41
And I think because poetry has this ability to be anything to cross genres, disciplines, et cetera, it's really opened up a realm of feeling that I think that would be absolutely inaccessible to me. Otherwise, I have a really hard time talking about my thoughts, so I've always written them down. Instead, I've been writing since I was a little girl. With that being said, for me, poetry helps me understand the world around me
Thank you so much for that answer. Sarah, it's interesting that you say anything can be a poem because I completely agree. I've had to take classes where we're assigned readings that present the concept of poetry as a box. And within this box are all your, your traditional poems, your sonnets, your epics, and those are all well and good. But this also discounts free verse, spoken word documentary and anything in between
Sarah McKee
@sarberry · 3:46
When you read their poetry, you have the chance to immerse yourself into something that you've never experienced or even thought of. And even if the person isn't writing from a personal narrative, you could get their personal feelings from it. So I guess what I'm trying to say is you're able to be transported into a different sense of consciousness. I know that sounds a little silly, but really, when you read a poem and you read something, drawing your heart will start racing
It allows me to get my thoughts down on paper so I can examine them and truly understand the source of them. This brings me to my next question. As I become a better ally, I find that I'm coming across more public requests for art as activism. I'm wondering what your thoughts are when it comes to using poetry is activism and other ways. Poetry can be used as a tool
Sarah McKee
@sarberry · 2:21
It requires a lot of other supplemented readings and other actions. But it's a really good starting point. And to top that off, it's not even going to just be a starting point. You're going to reimagine in the middle of things at the end of things. You're always going to be using your imagination for something. And I guess that's how I can see poetry being used as activism
And I think if anyone who is trying to fight for their beliefs right now can find strength and slim poetry and the impact it has because it really gets people's attention, it really makes them listen. But no matter how you write, what you write, what you create, I'm finding that it's very difficult to find inspiration right now. And based on my conversations with others, I don't think that I'm alone in this experience
Sarah McKee
@sarberry · 2:55
So even if you write, like, blue cat, silver trash can, blue plastic bag. Okay, then maybe you could write. Maybe you're like, oh, my God. This silver trash can is like making me feel some things and you can write about that. You know what I mean or think of like, okay, hat what rhymes with hat cat Matt sat. And then maybe you're going to find a poem from that. There's so many different things that you could do
So my last question relates to those who have thought about writing poetry but don't really know where to start. I've met a lot of people who are intimidated by the idea of poetry, even though intrigue them, so they avoid it all together. Do you have any advice for the wannabe poet who's scared of the unknown
Sarah McKee
@sarberry · 3:12
And trust me, no one is going to read that. It's just for you. Now, if you want to talk about performing poetry, that's a whole different beast. But hopefully these tips will help you be able to at least write the poem. And like I said, the first poem you write, it might be a really good one. It might be a really bad one. The 100 poem you write also might be a really bad one
That's very well said. If anyone is going to take anything away from this and by anyone, I mean, people who want to start dabbling in poetry want to start writing or even just want to start start reading it. The world is your oyster. And there are so many different poets who have very unique voices, who have very unique styles and forms who play with white space and visuals. There's so much out there because like we said in the beginning, poetry can be quite literally anything
Rich Geier
@Word · 0:52
So I'm going to respond to your question, what is poetry with a poem that I wrote about poetry? It's called that's poetry. So it goes something like this. That's poetry. It's going through your mind. Rich. Now, as I speak, you are undeniably. My voice is silent and heard by our ears. Listen carefully. When I pause, it's not the end. But when it does. Please, no applause. That's poetry. Other sound