• Home
  • Fine Living
    • Start Here—Welcome to Tweetspeak!
    • Read
      • A Poem a Day with Every Day Poems
      • book club
      • Poetry Newsletter!
      • poetry reviews
      • T. S. Poetry Press
      • Quote a Day
    • Write
      • A Book of Beginnings
      • Become a Better Writer
      • Fiction Posts & Prompts
      • Memoir Notebook
      • Poets and Writers Toolkit
      • Writer’s Conferences
      • Writing Prompts
    • Live
      • Art and Disabilities
      • Artist Date
      • Eating and Drinking Poems
      • Journey into Poetry
      • Literary Tour
      • Poem on Your Pillow Day
      • Poetry at Work Day
      • Random Acts of Poetry Day
      • Take Your Poet to Work Day
    • Play
      • Coloring Page Poems
      • Mischief Café
      • Music Playlists
      • poetry humor
      • Quote a Day
      • Shop
      • Twitter Poetry Parties
      • Videos
    • Learn
      • Infographics
      • Poetry Classroom
      • Poetry Units for Teachers
      • Writer’s Conferences
      • Writing Workshops
    • Grow
  • Poets & Poems
  • Writers’ Resources
  • Get a Daily Poem
  • Teaching Tools
  • The Press
  • Workshops

Why Poetry Matters

By Glynn Young 3 Comments

Last month, I had a poetry and wine giveaway over at my blog for L.L. Barkat’s InsideOut: Poems. One copy of the poems would be given away at random, simply by entering a comment. The winner of the more challenging assignment – write in 100 words or less on “why poetry matters, ” would receive a copy of the poems and a bottle of Sineann wine.

The entries were stunning. Some were poems themselves; others short pieces of prose. All were good, too good not to acknowledge and publicize.

Some were posted on the individual writer’s web or blog site; others were entered directly into the comment section of my blog post. All of them need to be shared.

From time to time over the next few weeks, I’m going to post the entries here, along with the links to the writers. Here’s the first.

From A Simple Country Girl at Aspire to Lead a Quiet Life:

Blinking-Breathing-Thinking

Is this why we capture–so we can reflect?
Is this why we convey–so we can reach?
Is this why we desperately create and share our own inky beats
–so we can be closer to God?

Originally, the first two blocks of penned letters came last night. I was thinking on photography. And poetry. Wondering how some make it beauty? How some make the two-dimensional come alive and dance upon my brain and wriggle in my heart? My son, next to me at the kitchen table, was doing a word search. Seeking, finding, spelling. Trying to tie letters together in a way that made sense and order out of a jumbled chaotic mess.

While he sorted, I did the same. Seeking, finding, spelling–all while inking letters together in a way that bled my heart onto paper. I thought of and gifted her the first portion this morning. But as night’s dying darkness rolled back to reveal a soft light touching hilltops, I realized it is all a desperate hunt for Him.

My humble-laden camera clicks and ink beats are all because of Him.

And for Him.

It is my way of gifting God. Actually, I am only re-gifting what He already gave me.

You Might Also Like

  • Why Poetry Matters 5Why Poetry Matters 5
  • Why Poetry Matters 6Why Poetry Matters 6
  • Why Poetry Matters 11 &12Why Poetry Matters 11 &12
  • Why Poetry Matters 3Why Poetry Matters 3

Filed Under: poetry

P. S., With Love

We hope we made your day
with something you loved or needed.

Make our day? 🙂

Keep thoughtfulness, beauty, & whimsy
in your world (and the world)
with just $1 a month

Comments

  1. Maureen Doallas says

    February 17, 2010 at 9:57 pm

    As this post reveals, this will be a fascinating series to read. Thank you for bringing to words to light.

    Reply
  2. Kathleen says

    February 18, 2010 at 12:23 pm

    Can’t wait.

    Reply
  3. nAncY says

    February 18, 2010 at 10:16 pm

    wonderful poem on the post and good words here as well.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Take How to Read a Poem

Get the Introduction, the Billy Collins poem, and Chapter 1

Free with tweet

Search Tweetspeak

Follow Tweetspeak Poetry

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Getting added to our newsletter is your first perk, when you join us on Patreon!

Welcome to Tweetspeak

New to Tweetspeak Poetry? Start here, in The Mischief Café.

You’re a regular? Check out our April Menu.

Recent Comments

  • Dared: To Paint a Wall Chartreuse - Sandra Heska King on Poetry Dare: Do I Dare to Do a Dare with T.S. Eliot?
  • Sandra Heska King on The Color of Your Creativity
  • Sandra Heska King on The Children’s Storybook Garden (Arlington, Washington)
  • Donna Falcone on The Color of Your Creativity

Featured In

We're happy to have been featured in...

The New York Observer

The Huffington Post

The Paris Review

Tumblr Book News

Categories

Poetry for Life? Here's our manifesto on the matter...

Poetry for Life: The 5 Vital Approaches

Help make it happen. Post The 5 Vital Approaches on your site!

Learn to Write Form Poems

Whether or not you end up enjoying the form poem, we've seen the value of building your skills through writing in form.

One reader who explored the villanelle was even featured in Every Day Poems!

How to Write an Acrostic

How to Write a Ballad

How to Write a Catalog Poem

How to Write a Ghazal

How to Write a Haiku

How to Write an Ode

How to Write a Pantoum

How to Write a Rondeau

How to Write a Sestina

How to Write a Sonnet

How to Write a Villanelle

Featured Literary Analysis

Poem Analysis: Anne Sexton's Her Kind

Poem Analysis: Adrienne Rich's Diving into the Wreck

Poem Analysis: Matthew Arnold's Dover Beach

Character Analysis: Romeo and Juliet

Order and Disorder in Macbeth

Tone in For Whom the Bell Tolls and Catch-22

Tragedy and Comedy: Why People Love Them

Was Hamlet Sane or Insane?

Shakespeare Resources

Poetry Classroom: Sonnet 18

Common Core Picture Poems: Sonnet 73

Sonnet 104 Annotated

Sonnet 116 Annotated

Character Analysis: Romeo and Juliet

Character Analysis: Was Hamlet Sane or Insane?

Why Does Hamlet Wait to Kill the King?

10 Fun Shakespeare Resources

About Shakespeare: Poet and Playwright

Top 10 Shakespeare Sonnets

Book Promotion, Platform, Publicity

Author Platform: Where to Start

Ten Surprising Secrets to Make Your Book Go Viral

How to Host a Successful Book Launch

Simple Tips on Finding and Working with a Book Publicist

How to Get Your Poems Published!

Pride and Prejudice Resources

5 Amusing Pride and Prejudice Quotes

Infographic: Simpleton's Guide to Pride and Prejudice

10 Great Pride and Prejudice Resources

Happy Birthday Mr. Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Playlist

Featured Top 10 Poems

Top 10 Chicken Poems

Top 10 Chocolate Poems (Okay, Minus 3)

Top 10 Fairy Tale Poems

Top 10 Funny Poems

Top 10 Laundry Poems

10 of the Best Love Poems

Top 10 Poems with Make or Break Titles

Top 10 Mirror Poems

Top 10 Question Poems

Top 10 Red Poems

Top 10 Rose Poems

Top 10 Summer Poems

10 Great Poems About Work

Children’s Poems, Children’s Books

Llamas in Pajamas and Ten Great Children's Poetry Books

A Children's Poem on the Playground

Come Again: Teaching Poetry to Children

Poetry With Children: What's in Your Journal

Teaching Poetry to Children: There Are So Many Blues

Take Your Poet to Work Day: Poet Treasure Hunt in the Library (Callie's Story)

6 Benefits of Reading Aloud to Your Children

Top 10 Children's Books and YA Books

Little Red Riding Hood: Graphic Novel

14 Reasons Peter Rabbit Should Be Banned (Satire)

Featured Infographics

Infographic: How to Write an Acrostic Poem

Infographic: How to Write a Ballad

Infographic: How to Write an Epic Poem

Infographic: Ghazal for a Gazelle

Infographic: Boost Your Haiku High Q

Infographic: Pantoum of the Opera

Infographic: How to Write an Ode

Infographic: Poem a Day

Infographic: How to Write a Rondeau

Infographic: Simpleton's Guide to Pride and Prejudice

Sonnet Infographic: Quatrain Wreck

Featured Playlists

Playlist: Cat's Meow

Playlist: Doors and Passageways

Playlist: Fairy Tale and Fantasy

Playlist: Purple Rain and Indigo Blues

Playlist: Surrealism

Playlist: Best Tattoo Songs

Playlist: Trains and Tracks

All the Playlists

They Bring Poetry for Life

Meet our wonderful partners, who bring "poetry for life" to students, teachers, librarians, businesses, employees—to all sorts of people, across the world.

How to Read at an Open Mic free download

How to Read at an Open Mic!

Free Sample!

The Teacher Diaires Front Cover with Lauren Winner

“Hilarious, heart-rending, entertaining.”

—KA, Amazon reviewer

GET FREE SAMPLE NOW

About Us

  • Our Story
  • Meet Our Team
  • Poetry for Life: The 5 Vital Approaches
  • Contact Us

Writing With Us

  • Poetry Prompts
  • Submissions
  • Writing Workshops

Reading With Us

  • Book Club
  • Dip Into Poetry
  • Every Day Poems
  • Literacy Extras
  • Quote a Day

Public Days for Poetry

  • Poem on Your Pillow Day
  • Poet in a Cupcake Day
  • Poetry at Work Day
  • Random Acts of Poetry Day
  • Take Your Poet to School Week—National Poetry Month!
  • Take Your Poet to Work Day

Gift Ideas

  • Give the Gift of Every Day Poems
  • Our Shop
  • Everybody Loves a Book!

Connect

  • Blog Buttons
  • Become a Partner
  • Shop for Tweetspeak Fun Stuff

Copyright © 2018 Tweetspeak Poetry · Site by The Willingham Enterprise · FAQ & Disclosure