The Power of Poetry

 -- Guest Article, on Writing --

Aileen Lopez, the Outreach Director for Morgan Law Firm (4101 Parkstone Heights Dr., Suite 250, Austin, Texas 78746  #(512) 551-0807), submitted today’s article on the benefits of writing poetry.  Aileen is a frequent blogger on a variety of subjects. http://morganlawaustin.com

Benefits of Writing Poetry

Writing is a hobby that can generate many positive effects for your intellectual and spiritual growth. Poetry in particular can be highly emotive and cleansing, siphoning your innermost thoughts into a format that is relatively simple to digest for the reader. If you've never been a poet before, you may be surprised to find that you actually enjoy it when you give it a solid effort. Below are actually seven benefits to poetry that just may inspire you as a writer.

1. Therapy. Writing in general can be very therapeutic. Reading and writing poetry is thought to be a stress reliever that can work for anyone. When you come up with a particularly good poem or string of lines, the pleasure centers in your brain are activated, reeling back your stress levels on a biological level.

2. Music. If you're into music, you can always take a stab at song writing. You've probably turned on the radio more than once to be greeted by an assault on your ears and thought, "What awful lyrics!". Writing lyrics is essentially writing poetry with a strong rhythm. You may just discover a hidden talent for music.

3. Improved Writing Skill. Whether you're in an English class, or aspire to be a novelist, writing poetry can significantly enhance your creative writing skills. All great stories require descriptive depth and good use of metaphors and images. Poetry makes frequent use of these components, providing you with an outlet for concentrated practice.

4. Love. If you've ever wanted to do something traditionally romantic for your significant other, polishing up your poetry skills and can be a cute way of surprising them on a special day, or just because.

5. Memory. Mnemonic devices are a popular method used to remember facts and statistics for exams. You can take it to the next level by writing poetry that directly correlates to whatever subject you're studying. Rhymes are much easier to remember than isolated statements, so they could give you a real edge on tests and you'll be less stressed that you've forgotten the material.

6. Expression. Poetry is essentially a way for emotive people to express their emotions, and is a very personal and uninhibited act. If you've ever had problems showing and reading emotion, poetry may be the necessary gateway required to unlock your inner empathy and torrent of feelings.

7. Education. Effective poetry can explain and communicate a lot of information in a small space. The concise format allows for people to spread knowledge in a way that others are more likely to receive. Children respond particularly well to rhyme, and writing poetry can present a great opportunity to teach them something new in a way that's fun and instantly engaging.

 

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