A Case for Poetry - Why Learning to Read and Write Poetry is Not a Waste of Time

Every high school student has wondered why he or she has to study at least one subject, and many college students wonder the same. Some subjects are easier to justify than others. Math has real-world implications for most (even those who do not play fantasy football), and the logical approach to algebra, geometry, and even calculus has value that can be described without too much difficulty. Science classes, likewise, have obvious real-world value, since, well, they describe the real world.

English courses, though, are a little trickier. The importance of learning written communication is obvious enough, and the importance of reading great literature, while not as easy to explain as math and science, can at least be argued in terms of understanding cultural references and learning how great writers and thinkers have expressed their ideas. But poetry? Many find it confusing, a waste of time, or both. No one makes a living as a poet, and writing a report in poetry is probably a great way to get fired from most jobs one might have.

Here, though, I will make a case for not only the value, but in fact the importance of learning to read and write poetry. There is both a practical and a spiritual value to poetry, and students can be taught to appreciate both. First, though, I must dispense with a common misconception about poetry, a myth that causes me actual, physical pain every time I hear or read it.

Poetry Does Not Come from the Heart