What does poetry teach us? A new way of seeing, I think. But we rarely teach it that way. Often, pedagogically, a poem is interchangeable with a news story, an essay, or a controversy. We use poetry to spark debate and to air our feelings. The words themselves recede as we discuss the cultural themes we’ve imposed upon them. Poems melt down in the classroom foundry into much the same stuff: our students will say that the poems are “interesting,” that they are “real,” or, occasionally and succinctly, that they “suck.” Finally, one student “relates” to the poem, and a procession of personal anecdotes burble out and into the center of the world. (Andrew Zornoza at Poetry Foundation)
The resources for poet and teaching at Poetry Foundation are rich and varied. The above is an excerpt from a piece Visualizing Words and Worlds. If you've got some time, do explore the site.
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