If you were asked to describe what poetry is, you might automatically associate it with writing that contains rhyming couplets. While this is often a popular aspect of the art, poetry can be defined in a number of other ways as well. Take the work of Bill Copeland, poet, for example. He describes his poems in the following way: “They take the reader to the doors of dreams hidden between sleeping and waking.”
Bill’s description contains a common theme among poetry, which is that it strives to spark an emotional response in the reader. This response can be achieved in several ways, including through sound, rhythm, and meaning. You can say that poems use a lyrical language to capture experiences and emotions that the writer wants to convey to the reader.
Traditional poems also tend to have a definite form or style, including lines grouped into verses. Additionally, the word choice of poems is often very deliberate so that they can evoke specific emotions in the reader. Musical elements can also play an important role in poems, including the meter and the rhyme scheme. You’re sure to discover many of these stylings and more in the works of Bill Copeland, poet.
