Poetry is a Good Way to Cope With the Recession
Reading, Writing, and Listening to Poems Is Empowering
Jun 11, 2009
Poetry has always been a way of seeing things in a new way and making people feel better and more connected to themselves and others. That's as true today as it ever was.
Poets Themselves are a Testament of Poetry's Power
According to a recent NPR article by China Joffre-Walt ("Already Poor, Poets Don’t Much Mind The Recession," May 29, 2009), poets are spared the trauma of job loss many experience. Unlike those in other careers, poets in the “pobiz” (poetry business) often make very little money at it, and generally don’t work on salary.
As such, they are more a part of the "gift economy" than they are of the "money economy," meaning that their work is given without explicit agreement for immediate or future rewards (Lewis Hyde, The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property).
How Can Poetry Give Peace of Mind to Poets and Non-Poets Alike?
The question is, what is so compelling about poetry that many are willing to do it as a labor of love? And what can poetry do for those who fear being laid off or worse? Here are some ways that poetry can help:
- Poetry Stretches Time. Most people these days have hectic lives and the situation is made worse when they have to scramble to make money in new ways. Many feel there just isn't enough time to accomplish all they have to do. Poetry has the effect of slowing everything down, of seemingly stopping time and thereby making it easier to relax and recharge.
- Poetry is Truth. It's timeless wisdom that goes beyond the here and now. It provides a wider perspective, reminding everyone that current problems are fleeting in the larger scheme of things, and less important.
- Poetry is Music to Our Ears. Even free verse has rhythm and meter, which is soothing, and similar to music, reminiscent of the mother’s heartbeat when the fetus is still in the womb. In this, poetry is similar to meditation, yoga, chanting, and other contemplative activities that provide respite from the frantic pace of everyday life. (Hear poems read aloud.) Consider going to poetry readings, to either listen to poetry or read it.
- Poetry Can “Join” Us. It does this by expressing what is felt at a certain time. What one most wants to hear may differ by age, situation, circumstance, or predisposition. Theodore Roethke’s “In a dark time” for example, may paradoxically give hope by mirroring despair. Emily Dickinson’s poem about hope as a thing with wings may resonate with others as a way out of that despair.
- Journaling or Writing Poetry Is Cathartic. Writing channels thoughts and feelings. Many keep journals and/or write poetry as a way of transferring the chaos and pain in their heads to the page. Once written about, fear and other negative feelings have less power. (Learn about benefits of writing poetry for mental health). So, writing alone is liberating. And it also may lead to pride in the product and/or a desire to share it, which could then lead to the benefits of reading poetry at an open mike or other public events.
Poetry, then, is a powerful antidote to the recession, whether for those who work in a "money economy," or a "gift economy." Experiencing poetry, either by reading it, listening to it, or writing it, can help people manage feelings of loss and despair. Poetry can help cushion a hit to the wallet that often results from a lower income, and help those affected to anchor themselves in the here and now rather than in negative thoughts about an uncertain future.
But more importantly, poetry is about survival of the soul. In the words of Carlos Williams: "It is difficult to get the news from poems, yet men die miserably every day, for lack, of what is found there.” And this aspect of poetry is something that will count long after the recession is over.
