By Allison Stein

Words on the page, arranged in stanzas and aligned with patterns, challenge my mind and change my heart. I have learned that poetry is not an object but an action, a multifaceted experience which has sparked the evolution of my identity. Writing in rhythm represents an opportunity for self-expression, the reminder to appreciate details, the gift of a different perspective, and a chance to impact others.

An Opportunity for Self-Expression

A blank piece of paper is a canvas for the colors of my heart. Words express my aspirations and dreams, contemplations and hopes. Perhaps poetry serves as a container, an encapsulation of something greater than the sum of its parts. Or, perhaps poetry transcends the concept of self altogether—in its valiant search for the universal—yet paradoxically conveys what I otherwise cannot.

The Reminder to Appreciate Details

Poetry encourages me to savor the small moments. Techniques of simile, metaphor, and personification require clarity—precision of description—which may be derived and achieved only from focused attention to the world around me. Such transient miracles as changing sky lights, shifting skips of the heartbeat, and ephemeral beauty of autumn leaves reflect the simultaneous worth and impermanence of each fleeting moment.

The Gift of a Different Perspective

Although poetry wields the power to sharpen my focus, it also encompasses the potential to enlarge my vision. Adventures I undertake through the written word allow me to explore innovative worldviews and undiscovered paths. By experimenting with, or adopting, a different perspective, I find new answers to that fundamental question Who am I? This opportunity to experience life through the eyes of another influences my outlook in a meaningful way.

A Chance to Impact Others

A poem is not a moment but an echo, a gray-lead sketch of my soul written for someone else. Words gift me with the privilege to touch another set of heartstrings, whether in a minute’s epiphany or an eternity’s journey. As I translate emotions to ink, I keep in mind that the act transcends the moment.

I write poetry because the rhythm in my heart spills onto paper. I write poetry because words grant me expression, focus, perspective, and legacy. I write poetry because it is messy art and messier emotion, and because it is necessary.