LOP - What is Poetry? Lesson

What is Poetry?

Perhaps it is unfair to ask for a definition of poetry before providing one. The diversity of responses in the discussion should illustrate the nebulous nature of poetry. Poetry may be our most ancient language. Its function fluctuates from epics that create a culture to sonnet releasing the emotions of a single heart. Poetry is both public and private. Poetry can not be pinned to a single service. Nonetheless, poets, philosophers and professors have been debating the essence of poetry for millennia.

Reading Assignment: "Ars Poetica" by Archibald MacLeish

Click here to read "Ars Poetica," a poem about poetry, by Archibald MacLeish. Links to an external site.

Click here to read a biography of poet Archibald MacLeish. Links to an external site.

In this collage, various elements of life are seen in photographs: A human hand holding gold coins, a full moon in the evening, red and green apples, a maple leaf, birds flying in a partly cloudy sky, a stone wall overgrown with moss, the moon rising over a body of water, blades of green grass in the sun, and a stack of wood in a vacant field.

Reading Assignment: "Ars Poetica" by Horace

What is the translation of Ars Poetica? The first work with this title was written by Horace in 18 BCE. Horace wrote a treatise attempting to explain poetry. As you read Horace's version, take notes.

Click here to read "Ars Poetica" by Horace. Links to an external site.

Click here to read a biography of the ancient Roman poet Horace. Links to an external site.

Horace (Quinto Orazio Flacco), portrayed by Giacomo Di Chirico. 1871.

Choose one of the following poems, also titled "Ars Poetica," and describe how the poet uses the notion of the title to create a new theme or meaning. Be sure to compare and contrast the poem to Horace's notions of poetry.

Reading Assignment: "Ars Poetica" by Eleanor Wilner

Click here to read "Ars Poetica" by poet Eleanor Wilner.

Click here to read a biography of Eleanor Wilner. Links to an external site.

In this artistic rendering, a woman drapes transparent fabric. She wears a diaphanous gown. The text of the picture says, "And all the time, the shy and shapely mind, like some Eurydice, wanders--darkened by veils, a shade of measure footsteps. So many things are gone..." The text is from Eleanor Wilner's poem "Ars Poetica."

Reading Assignment: "Ars Poetica" by Primus St. John

Click here to read "Ars Poetica" by poet Primus St. John.

Click here to read a biography of Primus St. John. Links to an external site.

A stylized painting of poet Primus St. John.

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