Before the pandemic, I had applied to the Summer Poetry Teachers Institute to be held in Chicago at The Poetry Foundation. Alas, a trip to Chicago to hang out with poets and poetry teachers is a dream yet to come true, but the foundation offered a viable alternative in a 3-day virtual institute last week. It was wonderful! The presentations were all professionally done, the hand-outs were well organized, and they facilitated a real time Q & A. By far the best PD of my summer.
One of the Big Essential Questions was “What is Poetry?” This was the topic of Richard Blanco’s presentation. Oh, my! Swoon. He could read poems to me all day! For today’s Poetry Friday, let’s consider this question. Here are some quotes from the conference.
Poetry is someone standing up
Galway Kinnell
and saying, with as little
concealment as possible, what
it is for him or her to be on
earth at this moment.
Poetry is a bird.
Isman, fellow institute participant
Sometimes its song is shrill,
sometimes its song is sweet.
It preens its feathers
so they shine brightly in the sunlight.
It nurtures its own
and delights all who gaze upon it.
In the comments, write your response to What is Poetry? I’d love to gather them together into a collaborative poem. And don’t forget to link up your post with InLinkz.
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Reflections on the Teche 
Margaret, you busy poet, kudos on attending The Poetry Foundation gathering for nourishment ~~ & to be present with Richard Blanco. That’s quite the sweet ticket! I’m just now beginning to fall under his spell with his biography of growing up in Miami. Now must grab some of his collections.
Lovely idea to collect poem-reading, poem-making thoughts.
Here’s my quick line
A poem brings me to a bite of pratfall, and I hope a lift up, with airy flight.
Jan, when I click on your link, I get last week’s post…do you have a new post going up this week?
“Float” is the correct one! And I love your visit to it. Thanks so much for your careful checking
During this epidemic I realized other folks, like me, don’t always check in every week, either, so of course you can skip it but some who didn’t have a chance to visit, now can find all those Ppetry Friday links from the 17th.
[…] Simon at her blog Reflections on the Teche, is hosting this weeks Poetry Friday roundup, thanks Margaret! Margaret asks us, What is […]
Taking a breath, while taking in your inspiring post… so glad you were able to attend the conference Margaret, (even online) and share bits of inspiration with us, many thanks! I’m taking in all the delicious “What is Poetry” quotes you’ve shared.
Here’s one from me,
Poetry balances our souls and begs our action…
Thanks for all here, and for hosting the roundup! xo
I’m so glad you attended. As it turns out, it’s good that I did not. I was plenty busy around here with my son’s HS graduation and 18th birthday. I love the subject of your post! I so look forward to all the various answers to the question. I have a tongue in cheek response that I use with my family when they wonder why I’m sitting at the kitchen table, pondering syllable counts in my PJs close to lunch time…poetry is a sudoku of words.
This might add some fun to a collective poem.
Thanks so much for hosting! I am sharing a second week of refurbished clunkers at: https://awordedgewiselindamitchell.blogspot.com/
Margaret, I’m always impressed by your energy and enthusiasm for all things poetic, and am so glad that you had some fabulous PD to wrap up your summer. To me, poetry is what resonates in my soul–the distilled essence of an experience. Thanks so much for hosting this week!
A poem is a butterfly caught briefly in my net, then released.
Thanks for rounding us up this week! Can’t wait to see our collaborative poem!
I love inspirational quotes, especially ones about poetry.
A poem is a song your heart sings.
I like those quotes! I would also like some bread. 🙂
Poetry is words infused with energy, story, and song.
Thank you for the magnificent quotes, Margaret! I think I could spend days, weeks – years – discussing the topic of ‘what is poetry’ and never tiring of hearing what everyone else has to say. Denise Levertov said: “I long for poems of an inner harmony in utter contrast to the chaos in which they exist. Insofar as poetry has a social function it is to awaken sleepers by other means than shock.”
I say:
poetry is
our quickening
to the life-song pulsing in us
and through us.
[…] also to Margaret Simon for hosting Poetry Friday. Visit her blog, Reflections on the Teche, for more poems and magnificent quotes in response to “What is […]
Poetry is beauty never before shown.
Poetry is truth never before known.
Thanks for hosting, Margaret! Sounds like your virtual conference visit was as inspirational as it was educational…glad you gained so much from it!
[…] Simon is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup at her blog, Reflections on the Teche, where she is asking the wide-open question, “What is poetry?” So head on over and […]
Margaret, what a great collection of quotes that allows us to ponder on the essential question, “What is poetry?” Thank you for sharing your learning with us and for hosting.
“Poetry is a whisper of life, an echo full of vibrancy and emotion, fed by the waters of creativity.”
“Poetry is a hidden treasure voicing what is inside and ready to soar outward.”
(CV)
I will return with my link-up.
Oh, Margaret, the virtual institute indeed sounds swoon-worthy! I’m so happy you got to participate in at least a version of your original trip. I’m a little brain-dead at this late hour, so I’ll be back when I can intelligently answer the question, “What is Poetry?”
Thanks for hosting!
Poetry is our very best words squeezed into tight spaces and this is what creates the essential spark. Thank you for hosting Margaret.
Thanks for hosting, Margaret! Being a poet is being an essence explorer.
Talk about swoon — that Galway Kinnell quote is one I’ll hold in my heart. He was the first poet I ever saw reading in person, an experience I’ll never forget. Thanks for hosting today.
Margaret, thank you for sharing your learning with us and also for hosting! And yay for community poems and attempts to define poetry, too. Poetry is an experience. Poetry is a kiss, a blessing. It’s the lake dancing with the sunrise. And on and on and on! xo
[…] be sure to visit my poetry pal, Margaret Simon, at Reflections on the Teche for the Poetry Friday […]
Your Poetry Foundation PD sounds so wonderful! For me, poetry is a leaf fluttering in the breeze, waves crashing onto shore. Poetry is a glimpse into another soul. Thank you for hosting today!
Margaret, thank you so much for hosting this week, and for sharing some beautiful verse as well as your past few days with us–wonderful! I don’t have a poetic answer to the question, but I always say poetry is “concentrated language.” That’s always worked to start a conversation.
When I share someone else’s answer, I always give Howard Nemerov’s “Because You Asked About the Line Between Prose and Poetry.” Beautiful!
[…] for lots of wonderful poetry, don’t miss the Poetry Friday Roundup with poet-educator Margaret Simon, who always has wonderful things to […]
How wonderful to be energized by your peers! Now this question has got me thinking. So many wonderful answers to the question of “What is Poetry?” I can’t think of poetry without thinking of rhythm, assonance, etc, so to me I’ll just say: poetry is truth at a slant put to music.
[…] This week’s Poetry Friday is hosted by Reflections on the Teche, […]
What lovely tidbits. We heard Galway Kinnell read about 10 years ago, and it was lovely to see that quote. Poetry is such a hard thing to define, and I think every quote you shared captures at least one truth, one facet, of poetry. Hmmm…here’s mine: Poetry is the fewest words possible to convey something, chosen and arranged so that the words themselves are as important as what’s being shared. That’s my “technical” definition today. But of course I love all the more poetic definitions, too. A poem is a whisper of words that opens a secret door and invites you to walk through.
Margaret, how fun to participate in this institute and with Richard Blanco! I am a bit jealous. I love the picture book of his inaugural poem “One Day” illustrated by Dav Pilkey. How to define poetry? It’s so many different things. I love all the responses and look forward to your poem. For me, it’s words arranged to nourish the soul.
hi Ramona, with appreciations for your p.b. title share – ordering it!
I love the poems and quotes about what poetry is! It’s great that you got to virtually attend the poetry teacher’s institute. I especially related to the quote by Galway Kinnell as I attempted to capture a certain feeling that I’ve been struggling with lately as the pandemic continues.
Oh this workshop event sounds like something I would love. Thanks for sharing about it. So happy you had this experience.
What is Poetry?
Poetry is a moment carved into the world, an idea that lasts, an experience. But mostly poetry is an undefinable expression of life’s truest essence, words that reach into our souls and grab our attention endlessly, if we give it a chance. Poetry,frankly, is everything.
I’m so happy for you that you were able to have your virtual institute. Thank you for sharing these quotes and question, What is poetry? I wrote many responses to your question, but I couldn’t decide which was the best to send you. I love everyone’s responses!