Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
Poetry can evoke great feelings in a person: folks can laugh, cry, and have their hopes ignited in just a couple of lines, yet no one can accurately pinpoint why poetry elicits strong emotions.
The fantastic book, Anthology Of Short Stories And Poems II by Brian Clements is a beautiful example of how poems evoke such powerful sentiments. Brian’s poetry and short stories are incredibly written, and they capture any reader’s attention, pulling them in until the end.
Any person will find themselves flipping page after page, eager to finish the book. But why do poems, like Brian’s pieces, arouse such robust emotions in those partaking in them?
We’ll explore that question today, so join us as we tackle them in more detail.
Poetry Titillates the Sense of Sight
One kind of imagery used in poetry is the sensation of sight. It’s interesting to note that most definitions of images include all five senses of the human body: touch, taste, hearing, and sight.
But since most people, unless they are blind, rely on sight, we’ll concentrate on that individually. Writers and poets are frequently advised to “show, not tell,” which applies to any art form in every sense of the word.
Stimulating the Reader’s Ears With Sounds
Despite relying on sight, we use all our senses to see the environment. Sound is another commonly used sense due to its dual usage, but a poet will also use various senses to make their poems “come alive.” It’s one of the reasons why poetry elicits strong emotions.
The first way poets do this is by utilizing auditory imagery to describe a sound, a technique often used in poetry. Here’s an example:
“The egg sizzled on the frying pan,
As the droning hum of blades on the electric fan,
Whirred in the early mornings of June.
A cat’s bell jingled, playing tag with the falling
Leaves, while a man gulps down his coffee.”
In this example, readers can vividly imagine the poem’s scenario, using sound imagery to paint a world. Onomatopoeias are another literary device that writers and poets can use to mimic the sounds we hear. “Splash! Pow! Boom! Kachow!” are all examples of onomatopoeia.
The Anthology Of Short Stories And Poems II by Brian Clements has lots of sound imagery in them, and they all complement his short stories and poems very well. Being an excellent writer, Brian makes sure that every sound imagery he uses in his poems evokes emotions.
Learning Why Poetry Elicits Strong Emotions from the Other Senses
Our sense of hearing and seeing are undoubtedly important, but they’re far from our only ones. We also touch, smell, and taste, which can invoke a strong emotional response to any person. Here’s an example:
“As the tips of my fingers graze your sleeping face,
I feel a tinge of electricity flowing through the callouses
Of the digits and palm cupping your face with gentle grace;
Along with the soft sensations of your cheeks, I am unable to resist
The urge to kiss your forehead, as I feel a smile forming on your lips.”
While it’s true that smells and tastes aren’t utilized that frequently, they can still induce robust emotional responses that could surpass what the other senses can create. Here’s an example:
“The scent of vanilla wafts through the air,
Amidst the fierce odors of cigarette smoke.
You coat the air with your aroma, and here I dare,
To sit beside you with a vodka like a bedazzled bloke.”
Describing the sensations of sweetness, bitterness, saltiness, etc., can be tricky for tastes. But if done right, the emotions it incites are powerful. Here’s an example:
“Excitement got the best of me,
As I had been used to receiving treats.
But when Daddy threw me a food called broccoli,
I felt its dark-green juices ooze out its florets.
Then, a wave of bitterness drowned my tongue,
Its taste made my face scrunch,
My stomach revolted to hurl out what I had for lunch —
And that was the first time, back when I was young,
That the flavor of green assaulted my poor tongue.”
Enjoy Reading and Writing Poems that “Show, Not Tell”
If you wish to enjoy writing and reading poems, always start with the “show, not tell” mentality. Then, use or look for the senses that invoke strong feelings. The main reason why poetry elicits strong emotions is because they’ve been written to do so.
The Anthology Of Short Stories And Poems II by Brian Clements contains these literary devices. Readers will have their emotions charged up with Brian’s anthology, and they might even discover the unique power of poetry to incite change in all of us!
Alex Writes 