When it comes to self-care, we indulge in many things, such as staying hydrated, booking spa appointments, working out, and getting enough sleep. Nonetheless, when it comes to self-care, we cannot refute the importance and benefits of reading good poetry.
There is something so good about reading poetry – especially – in today’s world, where we are overly indulged with tech gadgets and immersing ourselves in the toxicity of the digital world.
Like reading novels, fiction, and non-fiction, poetry can help us expand our knowledge, temporarily switch off from our immediate surroundings, and immerse ourselves in a different yet wonderful world of poetry.
If you are an avid reader of poetry, you might want to become a poet yourself, in this case, you will want to benefit from taking poetry classes to help you express your emotions so that your readers can connect to those emotions.
Nonetheless, here are some essential benefits of reading poetry every day.
The Perfect Route to Escapism
Many people dread buying books because they fear that they wouldn’t have the time to read those books. Even though most people complain that they don’t have the time to read books, they are guilty of spending their time binge-watching television shows or scrolling social media.
The best part about reading poems is that these can bring us the same benefits as reading short stories or reading a novel. You can unlock the door to a different world that has different ideas, perspectives, and glimpses of imagined landscapes.
Poetry also gives us a different experience that is integrated with emotional and empathetic aspects that are all intervened in bite-sized chunks of poetry. Of course, you will have a different reading experience if you explore epic poems, such as Milton’s Paradise Lost.
However, if you have a busy lifestyle and you don’t have the time to read enormous books, you can find brilliant escapism by immersing yourself in the world of poetry.
Poems Slow You Down
We live in a fast-paced world, and we simply don’t find ourselves slowing down as we are constantly doing one thing or the other. Have a look at your daily routine – you check our newsfeed when you are commuting to work or school. You eat out because you don’t have the time to prepare meals at home.
Your schedule is so packed that you don’t have time to squeeze in another social engagement this week. So, life is super-fast for you right now. That said, the best thing that you can do right now is to read some poetry.
Believe us when we tell you that reading poetry will naturally slow you down – you will eventually take your time to chew on the words that you are reading.
You might even re-read the lines a couple of times to make sense of it because reading poetry requires your attention, as skimming through the words won’t help you. If you are alone and stumble through a piece of poetry, you will want to read those lines or words aloud.
This way, you will not only slow down but also get the essence of poetry as you enjoy and absorb the feeling of the words into your skin and soul. Poetry can evoke feelings and memories, and it takes some more time to nourish yourself and bask in the glory of the poetry.
Improve Vocabulary
Similarly to reading books, you will want to indulge in poetry as it will help you improve your vocabulary and also increase your cultural knowledge. Reading poetry can also widen your imaginative power and even inspire you to write a few lines yourself.
If you are a literary person, you are prone to fall in love with the poets themselves. There is no limitation to the freedom of expression when it comes to poetry – especially – if compared to prose. You will feel the power of using a few words to express a plethora of ideas and thoughts.
Poetry can also teach us about the importance of creativity and imagination. Poetry is part of being human as it seeps into every nook of all cultures that exist in the world. So, if you are looking for a creative way to boost your vocabulary and world knowledge, you should definitely start to read more poetry.
Use Poetry as a Way to Digitally Detox
If you truly want to enjoy the essence of poetry, we recommend grabbing a book instead of reading poetry online. Here is the thing – poems that are published or shared online can contain errors, such as missing letters, missing lines, and even wrong punctuation.
And such small errors can make a big difference in the way poetry is read and understood. Now, if you want to make the most of your poetry-reading episode, you will want to grab a couple of poetry books, get the feeling, and absorb the poetic essence from how the words will transfer from the pages into your being.
The essential benefit of reading poetry from books is that you will have the mental peace that none of the verses has been mangled on its way to reaching your eyes, mind, and heart. The best part about reading poetry books is that you can essentially enjoy a digital detox, which means that you won’t be scrolling aimlessly through the tech devices.
Time Travel
Last on the list of essential benefits of reading poetry is that it takes you back to simpler times. Many people who are new to poetry might find this literary genre a bit complicated, boring, and even intimidating.
But – once you get into the aesthetic aspect of poetry along with its vibe and rhythmic essence, you will feel its power to impact your inner world and even change your perspective on how you see the world in general.
You never know – you might stumble across a random poem that could give you the whiff of your happy childhood. Poetry has the power to induce happy memories and also provide you relief from depression and loneliness.
See some more of my lifestyle posts here
