I Got Rhythm

po·et·ry /ˈpoʊɪtri/ Show Spelled[poh-i-tree]

noun

1. the art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative,or elevated thoughts.

         

          Generally, you might find that if you say to someone, "I like poetry", or "I write poetry", they'll more than likely give you a facial reaction like this:

        It's a very subjective thing because what comes across as 'beautiful, elevated thought' is something that will obviously differ greatly from person to person. A great deal of people see forms of hip-hop as poetry, for example. It is a very big, umbrella term that doesn't necessarily mean Lord Byron, or the sonnets of Shakespeare.

        The definition of a lyric is 'poetry intended for song'. Rhythm is the core element both in poetry and music; because of rhythm, we've all ended up singing some pretty ridiculous things because we're caught up in the music. For example, would you EVER actually say to someone, "Don't leave me hangin' on like a yo-yo!"
If you did, you would see that face again. This is not the eighties. Even the eighties would be ashamed.

          I admit that I love poetry in its many forms and I am not a teenager full of angst, or a beatnik with a beret. Granted, I come across as a pretentious bastard because I write this blog...but here is some from my favourite poet, W.B. Yeats, to illustrate my point... Much better than the yo-yo based example from before.

"When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face..."