POETRY

What Poetry Means to me

A poem and a reflection

Poetry is the veins of the leaves delivering nutrients to the tree through stomata that breathe light and life for you and me Words that help us to believe in a world only poetry can see

Photosynthesized syllables are released transforming light and air into energy setting the pen and paper free for all the world to see their rhythm written in the breeze

Words of water and earth cascade into something sweet Living words are pruned and preened then penned into fine filigree They grow eternal and evergreen into the art they were meant to be

That’s what poetry is to me

I wrote this poem as I was reflecting upon the similarities between the nature of our world, and the nature of poetry. I thought about the purpose served by leaves on a tree. The stomata of the leaves absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which promotes human life. They provide nutrients and air to the tree. Photosynthesis enables leaves to turn light energy into food. They use nutrients from earth and water to make starch for the tree to live and thrive.

We can see the color and texture of leaves, but we cannot see with the naked eye, the internal process that is vital to life. Likewise, poetry performs the task of breathing in the air of our daily lives, and breathing out art, beauty and deeper truths that are not seen with the naked eye. This serves to nourish our passions and breathe new life into our world. Poetry promotes a greater and deeper understanding of the world around us. It connects us in meaningful ways. Just like leaves, poetry transforms basic elements into something sweet.

Mia Verita, 2021

Thank you for reading!

Thank you Dr. Fatima Imam, for tagging me in the prompt: What Poetry Means to Me

The original prompt

Thank you to the editors of ILLUMINATION for giving this poem a home.