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Reading Poems 1

Courtesy Ali Kaukas

Reading
poetry brings us joy
From colorful words and vibrant verses to vivid imagery and alternative
meanings, poetry inspires us to stretch our imaginations to a greater
understanding of reality and consciousness. Indeed, poetry can enhance
creativity, sense of wonder, and it may even reduce stress and anxiety. We
have made a habit of reading poetry, which motivated us to write a new
collection of poems Home: Where Everyone Is Welcome, inspired by
American immigrants. If you want to calm your mind and still your soul,
make it a practice to read a poem because it will help you pause, reflect, and
possibly experience more happiness.

Poetry reduces stress and anxiety


After a long and stressful day, there’s nothing like winding down with a
beautiful and lyrical poem. We enjoy reading poetry in the evenings because
it helps us escape from the daily hustle-and-bustle of schedules packed with
meetings, conference calls, and presentations. While reading a poem, we
aren’t thinking about our obligations or commitments. We don’t feel any
stress or anxiety. Instead, we’re focused on trying to understand the meaning
of the words on the page. And it’s not just us who relax with poetry: US
Army soldiers started a poetry night so they could better cope with
deployments. “It’s like another world in there, it gets you away from the
stress of work, and it gives you a chance to be able to relax,” said one of the
soldiers. Here are some more quick, easy ways to reduce stress.

Poetry encourages empathy


Poems are full of emotion, from happiness and joy to sadness and despair.
Take Kenneth Koch’s “In Love With You,” in which he uses dramatic and
striking language to describe his affection:
“O what a physical effect it has on me
To dive forever into the light blue sea.”
Reading Poems 2

By comparing the effect of love to diving into the ocean, Koch offers a lively
image that fills our minds and tugs at our hearts. We all know what it feels
like to be in love so fully and completely. And by reading these few lines, we
are transported to an emotional state in which we feel for the poet and what
he’s going through. We feel empathy for him. And compassion helps us build
connections and relationships with other people. These poems about love and
loss are sure to stir up emotions.

Poetry makes us more creative


As writers, we find it rewarding to express ourselves freely and without
hesitation. But when we write prose, we’re constrained by the rules of
grammar, which inhibit expression and speech. Poetry doesn’t abide by these
rules. Poets can write whatever they want, and they are totally free to
violate all rules, laws, and guidelines along the way. They can misspell words,
turn them upside down, or even scatter them like rain drops on a page. By
reading poetry, we become more creative, and we feel less restricted by
conventional rules or wisdom. Because of poetry, we more readily write and
say what we feel. Here are 10 easy ways to boost your own creativity every
day.

Reading a poem is quick


It doesn’t take a lot of time to read a poem. Of course, poems can be long and
fill entire books. But most are concise and require only a few seconds or
minutes to peruse. For example, the poem “Words” in our book is composed
of only 12 words. And while a poem might demand little time of you, it could
leave you in a thoughtful, reflective, and even happier frame of mind for
hours and days. A short poem could even stay with you for years. By reading
a poem, you can quickly center and refocus yourself so that you feel more at
peace and happier.

Our favorite poets make us happy


We love reading the poems of Robert Frost, William Butler Yeats, Rainer
Maria Rilke, and Emily Dickinson. But our favorite poet is Rabindranath
Tagore, from India, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913; he died in
1941. He wrote about nature, love, spirituality, and daily live in India. For
example, in one of his poems, he writes: “Amidst the rush and roar of life, O
beauty, carved in stone, you stand mute and still, alone and aloof.” Even as
the world is filled with chaos and strife, his poetry helps us look for beauty.
Reading Poems 3

We try to see the good in things, the glass as half-full, whatever the situation.
And poetry certainly doesn’t have to be heavy; these funny poems from the
2015 Reader’s Digest Poetry Contest prove that much.

Poetry gives us silence


When we read poetry, we reflect in silence. It’s during these periods of calm
that we become more self-aware. We stop going about our daily activities and
feel our own presence. By silencing our minds with introspection, we become
aware of that which is most important. In this quietness, we can hear our inner
voices, which is the language of the heart. Because of this silence, we feel
more calm and serene. Take a step back from the warp-speed of your life with
these beautiful poems about nature.

Originally Published on Readers Digest

Source: https://www.rd.com/health/wellness/deepak-chopra-reading-poetry-happiness/
(accessed on 10 October 2018)

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