Poetry can intimidate. Casual consumers of other art forms like film or fiction often willingly offer uninformed opinions, even if that only means rating a product on Amazon. But asking readers for opinions on poetry regularly leads to avoidance and elicits a bounty of excuses. Don’t overthink the poem, says Brad Babendir over at The Missouri Review, offering advice on how to better appreciate poetry by thinking about it less:
If you’re still struggling to find satisfaction within the lines of a poem, try to think about the whole thing less. In other words, the best way to read a poem is to read it. Poetry is better without the preconception. Reading a poem with an open mind, allowing the language and images to wash over you as they are written, can do wonders for enjoyment.
