I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently I think because I hadn’t considered it before. I’ve always assumed music a form of poetry and I’m curious to hear y’all’s arguments for or against it. I think this question probably gets into “what is poetry” pretty quickly just because I personally don’t see much of a difference.

Would the beat make it not poetry? Is it that it’s spoken (you’re gonna get some disgruntled slam poets if that’s the case)? Is it just that there’s sometimes a lower lyrical bar for songs than poems? I feel like music could easily be considered just a mother style of poetry! Leave any and all music/poetry related thoughts I would love to hear them!

Hey y’all! I wanted to ask about comfort poems today because I have often used poems (reading, writing, reciting, etc) as sort of a self soothing technique when I’m feeling overwhelmed and I was wondering if any of yall did the same! If yes, what are some of your comfort poems or poems you just keep coming back to.

Mine are:

To Know The Dark - Wendell Berry The Two-Headed Calf - Laura Gilpin From Blossoms - Li-Young Lee How I Go Into The Woods - Mary Oliver The Bird and The Machine - Loren Eiseley (though full transparency that one’s an essay) Warning - Jenny Joseph One Art - Elizabeth Bishop

Bonus Question: What makes something a comfort poem for you? Memories it’s linked to? Words themselves? Repetition?

I was having a scroll on TikTok today and came across the most beautiful poem, which reminded me of why poetry is so cathartic. When you read something that names your exact feeling, only someone else wrote it, at first you experience the emotional overload of seeing what you feel named and projected onto a format that intensifies the sensation. But secondary to that you feel, in a comforting sense, that you are not alone, because someone, somewhere in the world has felt the same way, and felt it so intensely that they wrote it down, and now it's reached you.

I would like to properly get into poetry. I would call myself a rookie but I actually feel that it's the one field where the only criteria to participate is being human. Nonetheless, I don't know many poets, collections or websites where I can continue to explore. I would love to hear suggestions.

Hi my daughter is about to be 3 and very advanced. She’s known her alphabet since she was 13 months. And she can say the sounds of every letter. So I’m curious if she may be ready to learn to read? I have a friend who learned at the age of 4 before she even went to kindergarten. But I didn’t learn until first grade in public school.

My daughter loved books just like mommy and I would really love to continue to foster her advanced little mind and her academic abilities if she’s up for it.

If 3 is an okay age, does anyone here have any resources, thoughts, experience?