Article: The Powers of Poetry.

The condensation of poetry makes it add weight to theme, language and the expression of the poet. What poetry is, must carry the elements or powers that makes a poem antique. Imagery, rhythm and sounds are the major elements that keeps the taste and strength of a poem.

Some poets and scholars see imagery as the setting of a poem, whether physical or abstract, and, that looks right in their own belief. But imagery is more than that. In fact, it’s the soul of poetry. If it’s missing, the poem lacks salt, it has no enjoyment!

Metaphors, similes, language or diction and hyperbole, creates imageries in a poem. Imagery helps to create the exhibition-house on the mind of the readers of poetry.
Sometimes, the experiences of the poet gathers a reservoir of images on the heart of that poet. The poet with experiences may not lack the power of imagery… Imagery stands as the greatest of the powers that makes a poem.

 Another element is rhythm. Rhythm is like the waters that push the ship to its destination. It’s the movement of stressed and unstressed syllables or sounds on a line of poetry.
It keeps the heartbeat of a poem, and graces it with music and beat like a flowing stream down a valley. Rhythm flows the lyric of a poem, adding its own strength to spark more enjoyment of the poem. It simply gives a poem that musical touch, and harmonic beauty. It’s the element of rhythm that can turn a poem to a song.

Rhyme or sounds have the charms of rhythm, and supports rhythm. It’s the strength of sounds or rhythm that has remained the Japanese Haiku in the eternal state of antiquity, despite coming from the long distances of masters like Basho, Buson and Issa.

 The haiku’s finest function is to distill a powerful message with few sounds. Elements like assonance, repetition, refrain, rhyme scheme and alliteration,also keeps the music of poetry.
However, it’s with time, writing and study that makes better poetry.




 (c). 2014. Pearls Literary Club.