The young are not just the leaders of tomorrow, they are fast reshaping today too! They are the catalysts of change and are making a difference in the world. Through social media events/posts, online blog posts, or taking part or creating a social change event, the teens are not just discovering their wings – they are already bridging the gap between today and tomorrow!
Social change activities are great at uncovering and nurturing future leaders. They offer a real world experience about how a change movement is conceptualised, how the idea is disseminated, how a team is built around a common shared goal, how the intricacies of the event are planned, how the responsibilities are shared and finally how success is achieved. They provide the right platform to nurture and forge better leaders. There are many ways in which teens can become better leaders by carrying out social change.
Through Volunteering
Volunteering can be a great learning experience. The task might be anything – a teaching activity, an eco-club event, conservation work, awareness campaigns, volunteering at the local hospital, vaccination drives etc. By being a part of an event, a teen can gain deeper insights into how an organisational structure functions. It helps the teen to understand how the giant machinery of an event is built and set into motion!
Also, being an agent of social change requires self-awareness. It requires a teen to evaluate strengths and shortcomings – plan action better and lead the team to success. Through the activity, a teen can strive to make a real difference – and, conversely, the activity can make a real difference in the teen! Volunteering for activities helps a teen become a better leader.
Through Writing
‘Pen is mightier than sword’ is an oft overused and abused cliche, but one that still rings true. Through writing, a teen has access to a powerful medium that can reach and influence many. The benefits of connectivity that technology offers means that you can reach out to and influence millions of people around the world.
The writing can be of any form – from social media posts, to hashtags, to blog posts, to articles for the print media, or even books – there is no limit. Writing about a cause or a movement helps you be the change and make a difference. It draws attention to the cause. Better the writing, the better it can connect to others.
Writing cultivates the capacity to think, augments knowledge about various subjects, broadens perspectives and improves effective communication skills – in short, it helps you become a better leader.
Participating in group events
‘Social’ change – it cannot happen in isolation, can it? Bringing about a social change requires motivated and committed teams – and people ready to lead them. By stepping up and taking up the responsibility, you can gain invaluable hands-on experience in communicating effectively by improving your listening and expressive communication skills, managing people and tasks, assigning responsibilities and delegating, planning the course of action, developing problem solving skills and negotiating and overcoming differences – to sum up, everything necessary to become a better leader!
Thinking out of the box
An out of the box idea gains traction. Creativity helps generate new ideas that will form the basis for a change initiative. Teens can make a difference by finding ways to be completely unique. By thinking out of the box, you develop the power to think about alternate models – what is and what could have been. If you want to change the current system, you must look outside for fresh ideas. Greta Thunberg’s campaign that made the world pay attention to climate change, Malala Yousafzai’s change initiative that advocates for the rights of girls around the world to receive education, Tilak Mehta’s inspired startup Papers N Parcels that gave hundreds of Mumbai dabbawalas an additional source of income all started out as ideas that broke the mould.
The ability to think out of the box and see the idea to fruition is what sets great leaders apart.
The importance of a good Leadership Development programme
A leadership development programme provides you with opportunities and equips you with the necessary skills and confidence to participate in activities and workshops. It helps you to learn from challenges – by teaching you evaluation, planning, strategies, work allocation and analysing results. The training is not just restricted to learning, a good leadership development program encourages you to participate in real world events and make a difference.
A lot of people are intimidated by poems (especially the ones that are written in archaic English). Honestly, I do not blame them – everyone has their own set of strengths and weaknesses. It is only human to think of certain challenges as daunting; It is only human to be averse to the idea of delving into the depths of what one is most scared of. However, the poets who write poetry are humans too – even they are flawed beings who experience a wide range of emotions. They too desire to frolic around with their pets and gaze at a sky full of stars. It is this humanness that’s reflected in their poetry, and that is what we must strive to look for and resonate with.
I have always sworn by the CCD method in order to make the best of poetry – no, I don’t mean the cafe coffee day method for those wondering. The CCD method stands for Context, Contemplation and Discussion. We will explore each of these in the following paras!
Context
Remember those ‘introducing the poet’ pages that used to be there in our English textbooks before every poem? They were there for a reason. Being cognizant of the socio-economic/political situation of the world and the personal life of the authors could help us understand poetry better – thereby helping us make the best of it. It is akin to asking your friend for some more context when they ask you for advice on a particular topic. The fact of the matter is that poetry writing is a cathartic process, and writers often use it as a means to express their desires, thoughts, grievances etc. Emotions add a sense of humanness to almost anything under the sun and poetry is no different. To understand these nuances better, the context of the poem must be understood.
For eg- Robert Frost had a rather tragic life. Two years before he wrote the poem ‘stopping by the woods on a snowy evening’, he admitted his younger sister into a mental asylum. He himself suffered from depression as did his wife. He had to look after his sibling, children and wife whilst grappling with a multitude of problems. A lot of critics believe that the last line of the aforementioned poem hints at the fact that he has a plethora of responsibilities to shoulder – it seems like he is desperate to take a break and admire nature, but he cannot do so due to his professional and personal life. Even poets experience conflicting emotions just like us!
Contemplation
There is always more to poetry than what meets the eye. In order to understand the nitty gritty of poetry, it is important to avoid generic thoughts. Contemplating the ideas that the poet is trying to convey is perhaps the best way to make the best of poetry. Reading the poem and mulling over your own thoughts on it is important. Thereafter, one can look up the words and concepts that are incomprehensible or intriguing. At this juncture, it is also important to understand that poems are a reflection of the poet’s thoughts, and like most humans, poets too have a variety of thoughts (often on the same subject). Ruminating on the poem that you want to understand might take a while – poetry takes time; poetry needs patience.
For eg – The Darkling Thrush by Thomas Hardy deals with quite a few themes, and if one were to form an opinion on it just by giving it a cursory glance, they would be compelled to believe that it is just another poetry about how hopeless our world is. However, it is certainly more than just that. The symbolism, the religious allusions and the context make it so very profound. For instance, the use of the word evensong in the poem makes it seem like there is some kind of divine intervention at play – the thrush isn’t just a bird who is merry. In fact, he has every reason not to be so since he is frail and gaunt. However, he is joyous because he is aware of some divine intervention that the poet isn’t aware of.
Discussion
I have often seen my friends shy away from discussing poetry. A lot of people do it either because they are afraid of not contributing enough to the discussion or because they think it isn’t worth the effort. However, I have garnered so many insights each time I have discussed my favorite poems with those who adore them as much as I do. Poetry is subjective, and everyone interprets it differently based on their experiences and background. The more perspective your garner, the better you will understand the poem.
For eg- It is like two people cutting a fruit in different ways. The fruit (or the essence of the poem) is the same, but the look (or the outlook in case of them poem) is different. That’s precisely why discussions are so pivotal to the understanding of poetry.
At the end of the day, it is upto you and only you to figure out a process that works well for you. Once you do that, making the best of poetry would surely be a cakewalk.
Negotiation is a back-and-forth social interaction between two or more parties where the primary focus is to reach a mutual agreement that benefits all. It is a very important form of social interaction between parties that share both common interests and areas of conflict!
According to Investopedia,
“A negotiation is a strategic discussion that resolves an issue in a way that both parties find acceptable. In a negotiation, each party tries to persuade the other to agree with his or her point of view. By negotiating, all involved parties try to avoid arguing but agree to reach some form of compromise.”
Negotiations are a great tool to solve major world issues as they act as a very efficient medium to initiate discussions! The Great U.S President John F. Kennedy said the following statement in his inaugural address on the 20th of January 1961 –
“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.
Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.
Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms–and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.
Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths and encourage the arts and commerce.
Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah–to undo the heavy burdens . . . (and) let the oppressed go free.”
After every negotiation, one party always ‘wins’ and the other must settle for less or compromise in some way. In this article, we will be discussing the various aspects involved in the skill of negotiation!
The very essence of any negotiation is to present one’s position/stand on the concerned issue and present conditions that the other party will agree to. This process continues until both parties can form a resolution that all parties can mutually agree to. The act of negotiation can be thought of as a battle where the participants strategize and plan by learning about all the other sides taking to craft strong arguments and defend with counters!
There are five key elements that must be kept in mind during negotiations:
1. Trust: For any negotiation to be successful there must be a sense of trust between the participants to ensure that they do not feel that they are being taken advantage of. Trust also refers to sticking to proposals/commitments that are made during the negotiation and not backing out.
2. Relationships: When going into a negotiation, you must take note of the kind of relationship shared between you and the other party. You must be mindful of how you present your stand and make sure that as the negotiation unfolds, the relationship between the parties must remain the same, if not progress further.
3. Interests: This has to be the most important element of any negotiation as interests and benefits form the foundations of negotiations. The wants and interests of the parties form the backbone of discussion and are the key drivers of the same. Good negotiators focus on the other parties’ benefits as well to frame solutions that are mutually beneficial.
4. Communication: There are a number of skills that one must master to learn to speak and listen effectively as they greatly help in ensuring one’s negotiations are successful. Apart from that, a foundational skill such as good communication really helps build confidence in teenagers! Actively listening to the other party, presenting your stand in a fair manner, and bringing forth resolutions that benefit all are just some of the many points that one must work upon to tackle the skill of effective communication!
5. Alternatives: One must always prepare for the worst in every situation. There may be situations where the other party denies to agree to certain terms. At such times, one must identify the consequences and implications of agreeing to let go of that term and make an educated decision on it.
The Process of Negotiation
Every negotiation has three stages to it:
1. The Planning Phase: This is a pre-negotiation phase where one must prepare by devising the plan of approach, the communication style, and the tone that one will carry when proceeding to the negotiation. You must have clear objectives and plan the desired outcomes you expect out of the interaction. There are times when the other party won’t accept the terms stated by you or the party you represent so you must prepare a least desirable outcome. Finally, one can never ‘over-prepare’ so you should take your time with this process and be confident!
2. The Engaging Phase: This is when we get into the actual negotiation stage and this forms the main body of the same. You should make your proposals and actively listen to what the other party responds to. You must not be very pushy with your demands while keeping your objectives in mind. Research has shown that a passive-aggressive approach to any negotiation has the highest potential to turn out a success!
3. The Closing Phase: The length of negotiations also plays a critical role in shaping its outcome. You must keep in mind that it must not be too short (so as to lead to a situation where both parties are uninformed) or too long (such that it tires out the other party and makes them irritable). Once you find the sweet spot for concluding negotiations, you must follow the after-negotiation actions. These include following up on commitments, articulating the discussions that took place, acquiring formal proposals/agreements from the other party, and many more!
Every negotiation has two possible outcomes:
A win-win situation is created. This is the ‘ideal’ outcome of a negotiation and all the parties come to agree upon a resolution that encompasses some benefits for every party, if not all the desired benefits are covered. This specific outcome is considered ideal because it fosters a positive relationship among all the parties that are concerned that benefits everybody!
A win-lose outcome is created. This creates an adversarial state where one side has conceded to the conditions of the other party that benefits more from the mutual resolution. This outcome is also called a “fixed-pie” situation where the interests of the parties are conflicting.
The Don’ts of Negotiation!
Don’t be pushy! To have a successful negotiation, you must let go of the “all-or-nothing” attitude as it is hardly going to work in your favor. You should prioritize the needs/desirable outcomes that you expect out of the interaction. This is because, in 90% of negotiations, you have to let go of many of your demands to accommodate the ones proposed by the other party. Everybody hates bullies and people will not think twice before walking away if the negotiation has one. Apart from the “all-or-nothing” attitude, you will have to let go of any pride/ego that you carry when you walk into any negotiation.
Don’t underestimate yourself! This is a very common mistake that people new to the skill of negotiation commit. One must keep themselves in very high regard as long as you do not undermine the other party. When enquired about your expectations, do not shy away from asking for more than what you deserve (obviously in a calm and non-aggressive manner). Another trick used by negotiation maestros is to give their ‘adversary’ the idea that they are winning the negotiation by undercutting your “unrealistic outcomes” (not the ones that you plan to get approved)!
Don’t let emotions get the better of you! In any negotiation, do not let emotions interfere with your approach as it can lead to blunders that cause the interaction to go horribly wrong. The best way to avoid any such blunders is by being calm and friendly throughout even if the other party is not!
The 4 Golden Rules of Negotiation
The key to any successful negotiation is not that difficult to master and sticking to these five rules is sure to help you in future negotiations that you take part in.
1. Listening is Key: Finding people that talk a lot is not that difficult but coming across people that are great listeners is very rare. You do not need to be the loudest voice in any interaction to make an impact, being a good listener and acknowledging what others have to say goes a long way in ensuring that the negotiation goes in your favor. A golden rule of hand that one should keep in mind is to listen 70% of the time and speak in the other 30%.
2. Exit if you have to: You must know that you are not going to win every negotiation you take part in. There are times when you have to concede and you must know when to walk away from negotiations that do not go your way.
3. Keep it Formal: Going into negotiations, you must keep your feelings/emotions aside. Your complete focus must be on your objectives and the points that you need to put forward. Remember that negotiations are like war and you must not take offense from the words/actions of the other party.
4. Do your homework: If there is one thing that high school has taught us the best is to do one’s homework! The better informed you are about the issue being discussed, the higher your chances will be of having successful negotiations. Few points that you must prepare yourself with include – understanding the needs of the other party, your negotiating limit (the least objectionable term), and your options or the options of the party you represent!
Final Takeaways:
Now that you know everything there is to know about the ins and outs of becoming a better negotiator, you must remember that the most important element of a good negotiator is that they are very engaged in conversations and understand the importance of both listening and speaking. It is always great to have a win-win negotiation so all the sides are happy and you can part ways on good terms after negotiations.
Below is a very fun activity that was born from Roger Fisher’s famous book – “Getting to a Yes”.
The activity is nicknamed “The Battle for the Orange” (the teams are not told this name as the activity has a secret element to it) and features two groups of teenagers. One of the groups is secretly told that their objective throughout the game is to get the orange to make orange juice. On the other hand, the second team is secretly informed that their primary goal is to get the orange because they need the peel to make an orange cake. Then, we get the two groups in front of each other and set a timer for 3 minutes, place an orange between them and just say “Go!”
This is an amazing experiment demonstrating human behavior and the lack of information and instruction regarding the process of the experiment makes it successful. On account of this, we get to see a number of different outcomes from this experiment. A large number of times, one group just takes the orange and refuses to give it back or negotiate. Results from the experiment also indicate that groups will be inclined to divide the orange in half and go ahead. Lastly, communication between the groups goes a step further and they actually converse about the reasons they need the orange – leading to an ideal situation where both the groups understand that they want different parts of the fruit and negotiate successfully. Now, this is what I call a win-win negotiation!
Negotiation is a fundamental skill in today’s world and is key to moving ahead in every organization that you are a part of. The importance of this skill is not discussed a lot but negotiations can prevent wars and solve major world problems!
Do you also believe public speaking is a nerve-wracking skill like I do? Yes, fear of public speaking is pervasive in all ages, especially teens like us who are hesitant to speak gibberish. For this reason, it may become a difficult pill to swallow. Public speaking is often overlooked in school, which results in children not being acquainted with the skills to speak in front of a large gathering, especially on a prompt topic. This results in high palpitations and a state of a meltdown when faced with the possibility of being asked to present a topic in public, even when the subject is well versed in your brain.
As seen in most of us, when given a topic to present in front of the class or school, we usually hesitate, have a second thought or wait for the time to pass by quicker. And then, you may have realized it too. Don’t we all end up envying the person comfortable in public speaking? While you struggle to complete it quicker, you question how the other person is good at this. Making you feel insecure and less skilful than others. Well, that is the importance of good communication and public speaking skills in today’s life.
Adolescents usually believe that public speaking is associated with marketing or sales, as you require it during elevator pitches and promoting your product. Indeed, that isn’t true. It is a skill primarily needed in all fields of life. It is a hallmark of good communication skills, and having good communication skills is essential for any career unless you are the only person in the entire office (which, of course, is next to impossible).
Nowadays, jobs and firms also judge you based on your communication skills and how you express yourself rather than just confining it to your qualifications. Even if you are the most intelligent person in the room but do not know how to communicate how you feel, the audience can’t grasp the primary objective of the presentation, losing the essence of the most brilliant idea. Likewise, the most common argument expressed more creatively is effective and appreciated as it is necessary to maintain the perspective and motive of your presentation that you want to educate the audience about.
Tips to improve public speaking skills:
1. Confidence is the key
It is essential to convey the message to your audience confidently. If you are hesitant or underconfident, the audience does not take your message seriously, and the ethos of the message usually fades away. They are attracted to good public speakers. This means that if you have the right public speaking skills, the more people you can motivate and influence. Communication plays an essential role in success, without which one is doomed. Yet for some reason, even those who are excellent communicators seem to lose their talent the minute they are asked to stand and speak before an audience. As this particular set of skills seems to be so rare and hard to find, if you study harder and you apply yourself to become a better public speaker, you will instantly see yourself growing as a different person altogether.
Likewise, the audience is always attracted to those who speak well in public. Listeners are more likely to listen to someone with killer presentation skills than someone who just stumbles their way through their cue cards. This means that if you have the right skill set, people are likely to learn from you, be swayed by you, or buy from you.
2. Bring creativity through simplicity
When talking about public speaking as a skill, the foremost aspect that needs to be kept in mind is to have no fear of failure by bringing on your creativity through simplicity. Children believe that using complex or ambitious words to express can help elevate the pitch or make it sound more pleasing to one’s ear.
However, that misconception needs to be detached from every developing mindset. The more complex your dictionary is when expressing yourself to an audience, the harder it becomes for the audience to understand what you are trying to convey. This often results in misunderstandings and the audience finding you ‘over-smart’ and not a ‘good communicator.’ Thus, it is best to keep your message crisp, clear and in the simplest form so that every kind of audience can understand the crux of the message.
3. Be clear without any fear
In a survey conducted in the United States of America, students chose ‘public speaking’ over ‘death’ when asked what their most significant fear (Ankur Warikoo, October 2020). This is the fear retained in every young heart. The reason why most teens lose out on their confidence when they are sent on stage to present a piece of art. As students, it is important to understand why this happens and how to overcome it:
One should listen to themselves and what they are speaking. If you hear yourself, you will understand how much sense you make from the message you are trying to convey to the greater audience.
‘Be heard by the public. If they don’t take you seriously, considering you to be a child, no concrete message is being passed on by you to them.
Be vulnerable and rhetorical. You must have a sense of emotional vulnerability to engage the audience in your speech/dialogue. The audience wants to be able to understand and connect to the speaker. But, one has to be eloquent in doing so too. Extending your hand across the stage and accepting perspectives isn’t easy even for public speakers- it requires a lot of reflection and active listening.
4. Maintain a good body language & wardrobe
Simultaneously, a point often neglected by people which plays an important role just as confidence does is body language and a decent wardrobe. When standing in front of an audience, it is important to have the correct body language and outfit. Well, most high schoolers like me would question why. This is because a first impression always sets a standard and is essential in judging what lies ahead.
When speaking in front of an audience, a sluggish posture portrays a bad image of us as children and loses the importance of the message being conveyed. One can’t tell if they’re relishing themselves, but one of the things that makes them compelling is their surrender to the moment, being fully present in their story and message. In my opinion, this presence makes them credible, captivates us, and makes us want to follow them.
5. Weave your speech in the form of a story
Furthermore, ever noticed how a speech or presentation that has left a mark on you is usually woven into a story. This is the influential art of storytelling which leaves a stone on every young/old heart. Storytelling is the most potent speaking tool in your public speaking skills toolbox. Teens like us may question why storytelling is the key to becoming a great speaker. Because people are hungry for stories. It is part of our very being. The storyteller brings a story to life and transports the listener to another time, location, or situation. When we connect to a story well, it foreshadows other thoughts and memories running in our mind. We remember the experience long after the account has been told.
A story provides the “hook to hang on” that a good speech must have to be remembered. Firstly, to be a creative storyteller and a great public speaker, the hunger to be creative and spontaneous is very much required. You should be well-versed in the topic, more than just cramming information from your speech that you rote-learned last evening. Nevertheless, bringing the story to your life is essential for the audience to connect better with it. The need for pathos is necessary to understand and captivate the audience.
6. Don’t repeat or linger around
Lastly, don’t be repetitive and linger around. For example, you may have noticed when someone tells a good joke, but then they mess it up by repeating it? It feels like you are being robbed of the experience. Once you’re done reciting, stop! Don’t try to explain it. Let the audience savour it. Let their thoughts linger on so they can enjoy it, think about what has been said and draw their meaning from it. By reflecting on it, they internalize the lesson and will remember your speech long after it’s been given. The more you become explanatory, the more the message loses its meaning, affecting the speech and the speaker.
7. Don’t look out for appreciation
Adapting to your innate abilities and current circumstances is critical for successful public speaking. It is crucial to assimilate and adapt to changing knowledge, circumstances, and environmental demands. The ability to adapt to the audience; real-world problems necessitate the active deployment of your intelligence, a key characteristic of excellent public speakers. Simon Sinek, a famous public speaker, said, “No speaker comes on the stage to receive anything; they come to give.” He validates his quote through an example: no speaker from backstage says that he is delivering a speech to get a standing ovation. Obviously, you get one if the audience relishes you, but it is not why we deliver it. This showcases a vital characteristic of a public speaker: have a selfless attitude, where you don’t believe in getting anything in return. The attitude shift is what marks a significant difference between a public speaker and a sales analyst.
Conclusion
Public speaking abilities are helpful in situations where you must address a large group of people. Because communication and general speaking skills are inextricably linked, improving your public speaking skills will inevitably enhance your interpersonal communication skills with your peers and family. As a result, if you are ever allowed to practise or learn public speaking skills, don’t pass it up. Please pick up your courage and go for it whether you’re in class, the office, or any other situation that requires you to deliver a message to an audience. The ability to speak in public is a skill; the more you use and practice it, the better you will become. There are many public speaking audio books or guide books to learn from if you want to improve your public speaking skills or are a new beginner. You will have an advantage over others if you learn to speak in public.
It doesn’t take much time to improve your speaking skills, and with all the potential benefits you can reap from those skills, it seems clear that this is an area you need to be involved in. Even working just a little bit each week can, over time, turn you into a speaker that will be the envy of everyone around you. That is why we must accept that speaking in front of an audience is inevitable, and when life throws lemons at us, we squash it to make lemonades. Face our fears head-on. Before you let that fear get to you, catch it head-on. Learn better public speaking skills. Be the best speaker you can be. Remove all the hesitations and insecurities and do what you must do. You have to do them anyway, so do them with style and make yourself proud. These tips (mentioned above) are helpful as they mostly came from a group of professional speakers who want to help you conquer that fear.
Check out our Harvard YLC Programme
Finally, I will reiterate that the best way to improve your communication and public speaking skills is through practice, because practice makes a man perfect. You must speak to enhance these skills—volunteer to speak whenever you can. Our Harvard Youth Leadership Conference is a five-day conference on leadership through the realms of public speaking, collaboration, and communication. The 5-day conference is aimed at high school students who are essentially advised to learn these skills, as it helps in every aspect of life post-school. You, as children, learn how to collaborate and communicate with your peers to develop a social project that you present in front of a large audience by the end of the conference. This way, you learn the skills of public speaking from collaborating, being confident and then communicating. This results in boosting not only your confidence but also helps you conquer your greatest fear.
To have an in-depth understanding of the conference, you can check out our website or various masterclasses on youtube! Don’t forget to check it out and educate yourself from our webinars and masterclasses, which are easily accessible and targeted at YOU and YOUR PEERS. For more information, please go check out our official website @www.thebigredgroup.com. Till then, we will keep you updated!
Most people consider poetry to be just a form of art. But, only a few think of poetry as an expression in the form of words, syllables, rhythms, and sounds. It is arguably the oldest form of expression or art form (as one calls it), dating back thousands of years.
Poetry first began during the caveman times, as seen in the cave paintings in Laurex, France. It has traveled, becoming immensely famous in the West, especially in America.
American Poetry first arose as American colonists’ efforts to add their voices to English poetry in the 17th century. It has now become an essential part of their literature books. Every 1 out of 10 people in America learns poetry, making it culturally famous amongst themselves and for people worldwide.
But why is American Poetry still so intact and famous, unlike the rest, which is gradually disappearing? It is often believed that Americans consider poetry to be important as it helps them understand and appreciate the world around them in a better way. It helps in biding their culture and showcasing their history, usually confined to museums. It is often believed that there is something about the human truth which is best expressed through poetry, as it has the power to reach us both emotionally and intellectually. This is very well evident in American poetry, as Americans, even in the past, have used to express their true feelings on some historical evidence through reciting poems. This includes any demise, happiness, or mourning, like the 9/11 act of president Lincoln’s assassination.
Why is Poetry Important?
But the pertinent question that lies is why is poetry so important to us? Poetry is perhaps one of the most versatile literary forms since it conveys great emotion, lyrical aesthetics, and a story. It is just like a midpoint between songs and stories, and poetry is evident in our daily speech. It uses words known to all of us but in a sequence and order that surprises us from our everyday speech rhythms and linear thought processes. Its effect is to illuminate our lives and breathe new life, new seeing, and new tasting into the world we thought we knew.
Moreover, it allows children and adults alike to explore the subject of the English language. Mixing words in sentences to find the right fit creates a sense of rhythm and flow. Poetry is real. We have written it to express genuine emotion that is usually hidden. Poets write to show that people have felt certain things before that someone else may be experiencing at another time. A poem allows you to see beyond the surface. Sometimes this is done through metaphors or other abstract ways, which cause you to think. Beauty can be expressed, and art can be perhaps emphasized through poetry.
Poetry is like a life lesson, as it makes you emphatic towards people, social issues etc. Furthermore, it shed’s a “sideways” light on the world, so the truth sneaks up on you. In a very metaphorical sense, I believe poetry is like a counselor that helps us understand one another. Leading us away from hate to love, from violence to mercy and pity.
Moreover, poetry is a kind of multi-dimensional language. It is directed at the whole person, not just at his understanding. It must involve the reader’s senses, intelligence, emotions and imagination. This not only helps people understand one another, but also wider their knowledge and understanding using emotive language.
Finally, poetry also helps develop biologically as it is scientifically proven that poems help in the relaxation of mind. It helps in the expansion of the brain, which opens the chamber to new thoughts and perspectives, which is not only englighting but also comforting and soothing.
So, why join this Poetry in America Intensive programme? Well, I think it is pretty clear how important it is to learn poetry, and after this, I am sure you wouldn’t want to miss this great opportunity! You get to meet and learn from experts you’d never want to miss.
Don’t Forget, while learning Poetry, you will be eligible for other perks, including learning under Harvard and ASU professors, earning transferable credits from Arizona State University and creating your poem or another art form focused on a social issue. I would not miss this opportunity if I were a high school student. Go check out now on our website: https://bre2.tuliptots.com/poetry-in-america-online-workshop/.
