Even though many poets have tried defining 'poetry' colorfully by using various metaphors, the genre eludes definition.  Be that as it may, we would like to present to you a list of five poets, from Dickinson to Atwood, with their interesting thoughts and definitions on poetry.  Often enamored with metaphors and laced with imagery, these definitions — both remarkable and amusing — are something we keep coming back to.  

5 Poets on Poetry

“If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry.  If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.” 

— Emily Dickinson

“Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality.  But, of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to want to escape from these things.” 

— T.S. Eliot

“Poetry is what in a poem makes you laugh, cry, prickle, be silent, makes your toenails twinkle, makes you want to do this or that or nothing, makes you know that you are alone in the unknown world, that your bliss and suffering is forever shared and forever all your own.” 

— Dylan Thomas

“Poetry is not an expression of the party line.  It’s that time of night, lying in bed, thinking what you really think, making the private world public, that’s what the poet does.” 

— Allen Ginsberg

“The genesis of a poem for me is usually a cluster of words.  The only good metaphor I can think of is a scientific one: dipping a thread into a supersaturated solution to induce crystal formation.  I don’t think I solve problems in my poetry; I think I uncover the problems.” 

— Margaret Atwood

Please feel free to share your thoughts about the much-read, and at the same time, equally dreaded genre 'poetry' in the comments below.  Do you think 'poetry' is something that can be defined?  Or is it something similar to what Archibald MacLeish thought of when he wrote 'a poem shouldn't mean but be'?  Well, what do you think?

Bibek

More information on the poets:

  •  Emily Dickinson

  •  T.S. Eliot

  •  Dylan Thomas

  •  Allen Ginsberg

  •  Margaret Atwood