Poetry Makes Us Feel that We Are not Alone - Essay Example

It is very hard to understand poetry the way it’s meant to be when the background of the story on which the poem was based unknown. To some, poetry is a means of expressing their own self in a deep manner because they are not able to convey their message directly. To teenagers, poetry is overly dramatic; thus, they prefer prose because of its pre-defined themes which makes it easier to understand. Students, who have to write poetry as a part of their curriculum, often compose pieces which compare poetry to something poisonous and lethal.

To them, poetry is a result of the absence of consistency in the poet’s life whose lives were filled with misunderstanding and frustration. They would prefer a simpler form of speech and, according to them, when poetry is converted into prose, it becomes much clearer, easier to understand and visualize and keeps the reader hooked. The word poetry is of a Greek origin (poieo means “to create”). It indicates that a poem is a creation, a work of art. It is quite different from prose and the message in poems is conveyed in a condensed manner.

The message may be regarding a culture or a country, as well as person – both emotionally and physically. It captivates the reader and he is caught up in the tension weaved elaborately by the poet and he sees the image the poet intends to be seen and evokes the reader’s imagination. The reader is bound to reflect upon the things happening in his life from the idea instilled by the poem. One example of such great poems is ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost (“SparkNotes”, n.d.).

The Road Not Taken is basically about making choices. Frost has come across crossroads in a forest and is deciding which road to take. Both roads look similar and the leaves fall across the roads are not trodden upon yet both roads look like they have been used. He contemplates his decision and decides that he will take the road he didn’t take the, theme another day. Yet he knows that it will not be possible for him to come back and take the other road and it will be all but a story left to tell, which he would tell not quite how it took place.

The paths are symbolic for the decisions we have to make in life. The choice is ours but we don’t know what we will come across by taking those decisions. We are torn between the two choices not sure which one to choose as we don’t know what it will lead to. Frost weighs down the options by comparing which choice would be worthy of being set as an example when later in life, he will tell the story to others. He is pretty sure that at some point in his life, he will regret taking the path he did and think about what would have happened if he had taken the other path.