Poetry is just saying things that happen.
It’s not a poem if it doesn’t rhyme.
It’s a poem if it means something.
Meaning shmeaning, poetry is about feels.
Poetry is language shaped into art.
I don’t know what a poem is, but it’s not that.
Who puts a full stop in the middle of a line?
I once knew a person who was a poem.
Anyone can write anything and call it a poem.
If it’s memorize-worthy and recite-worthy, it’s poetry.

Who knows what a poem is?
I don’t claim to know the answer.
But I know who definitely does not know.
My husband, Pencil.

I ordered a poetry book by a poet I discovered by chance through a viral meme and it arrived today. I excitedly showed him the book. He sat on the couch next to me and opened it to a random page, and began to read. I am in love with his voice and I could listen to him read poetry aloud all day. About halfway through the page, when I was starting to get properly invested, he snapped the book shut and said “this is not a good book, this is not poetry.” I tried to find the page again but I couldn’t. To be fair, I didn’t try very hard, I was distracted by Pencil’s very strong opinion about this book based on half a page of (honestly reasonably interesting) writing, lol. We talked about it a little and didn’t end up agreeing (this is a normal outcome in our conversations).

Funnily enough, I once read a poem that Pencil wrote in his younger years. It moved me deeply and I still think about it from time to time. He says he doesn’t like his own poetry either.

Who am I to tell him what to think of his own poetry or anyone else’s? I know what I like and that alone is my business.