Poetry

Of all the poems we have read this year, “Poetry,” by Marianne Moore, is by far my favorite. The poem pricked my interest by the first line, “Poetry… I, too, dislike it”: is it the perfect poem for the inexperienced college student frustrated at the complexities of poetry? Has the plea for reprieve finally been answered? Could it be that finally a poet admits “There are things that are more important beyond all this fiddle?”
Strike one, two, and three. Moore threw a curveball. The poetry is possibly even more frustrating than ever before (unless you just finished with “The Waste Land”). Read past the first line and you will find yourself in the pathless abyss of those dreaded allusions and hidden meanings. But if you successfully maneuver through the poem, you will emerge with a greater appreciation for the art form.
Even though “Poetry” proved a difficult read, I preferred it to other poems, because of the connection I felt with the poem. Oftentimes poetry does not interest me because I do not associate with the subject matter, such as in the case of religious poetry (I am an atheist). Dickinson, especially, I find tiresome, due to her constant references to death. But I could understand where Moore was coming from, because I have similar opinions of poetry (though obviously not as well articulated).
I suppose I find Moore’s convoluted poetic style reasonable because it reinforces her status as the expert. If she were to, like me, merely complain about poetry, she would be dismissed as having no appreciation for the arts. But Moore is a poet, so she has the advantage of criticizing the system from within. But at the same time, it’s reassuring to know that she’s on my side.
It has always displeased me when people string long words and meaningless symbolism together and called it poetry. Even in writing this I’m having trouble enunciating what exactly I dislike about certain poems, which is why “Poetry” holds so much value: it makes my argument for me. So instead of having me attempt an incoherent criticism of poetry, just read Moore’s poem.
I didn’t enjoy “Poetry” because it was a simple restatement of my thoughts, however. Moore expanded my view of poetry, and helped me refine my inner grievances. Also, I liked her approach and the examples she uses, such as “Imaginary gardens with real toads in them” because they are so novel. She manages to avoid overused metaphors, and, as William Carlos Williams says, (I will have to agree with the second point) “She escapes. The incomprehensibility of her poems is witness to at what cost.”