How to Appreciate Poetry

​As someone new to poetry, it can be quite difficult to appreciate it as an art form. Some people say that poetry is elitist, snobbish, stuck-up, complex, and boring. And these objections often, somehow, convince people to stir away from poetry without trying to hear them. The younger generations see poetry as less important than other writing styles. A lot of the younger generations see poetry as uninteresting because of how it was taught in schools. The approach of schools on poetry is the biggest barrier to entry for appreciation for most people. Many are taught to engage with a poem by parsing, understanding, mastering, and writing an essay regarding its message. Poetry will forever be hard to appreciate if we are taught to understand the true meaning of the poems rather than creating their own meaning. 
Poetry falls out of the normal flow of interest within this generation because of how complex it can be, but complexity is what makes poetry poetry. Poetry is an art form that does not always make sense to everyone. But, if you'll give poetry a chance, you can learn to see the world and life from a different perspective. It is a more expressive style of writing that includes deeper meanings hidden within the words. It has a variety of ways in which it communicates a message. Some poems are like a song, others are more of a puzzle, but all leave a lasting emotional impression. 
As a writer herself, Jaime Fidler believes that poetry helps with more issues than most people think, especially issues from one's own life. Just like art and music, poetry can be an outlet for many to release seas of emotion. Take Jaime's Inspirations, for example. This is Jaime's book on Collection of poems that comes from the heart. The collection of touching poems written by Jaime is so relatable for people of all ages and something that will make you appreciate this art form more. Other than reading it for pleasure, there are plenty of ways to appreciate poetry. 
Read Poems Out Loud 
Poets design their poems to be read aloud. Readers and poets chanted it, sang it, and recited it to this day. Reading out loud allows you to experience the whole poem. A big part of poetry is sound and rhythm; if you use your tongue, lips, and throat to pronounce the words, you'll get the full impact of both elements. Sound and rhythm will give you pleasure and lead you to the poem's meaning. You may miss all signals if you don't read aloud. Pay attention to the two elements and notice how it adds to the overall flow and meaning of the poem, making you appreciate the art form. 
Listen to Poets
Poets pour their hearts and minds into writing their poems. If you can't appreciate the poem on its own, maybe it's time to listen to the poet reading their work. Poems are kind of an odd encounter with words and to hear them out loud is really different. Probably it's because poets know and deeply understand their poetry; they can make the poem come alive. There are plenty of poets with podcasts for the reason of performing their poems, making the work feel more engaging and exciting. Listening to them reciting their poems will make you feel something just opened within, and some meaning about life that you haven't encountered before is placed in front of you. 
Understand the Poem
Poetry is often hard to understand, even for other poets. Yes, some have a clearer and concise way of conveying the message, and others just don't. The other half would use weird metaphors, strange words, no punctuations, some use of rhymes, and weird timings. Thus, making it not always easy to decipher, and this makes it hard for readers to appreciate the work. But, if you take the time to understand the poem, you'll understand why this poet used this certain phrase to describe such emotion or topic. When you dissect a poem, you are unpacking all the ideas that the poets had in their heads. Reading someone's original thoughts and dissecting them for what they make you appreciate the poem and the art form itself. 
Engage in a Discussion
Sharing poems with friends and family for discussion can help you deepen your understanding of them and appreciation. Sharing your thoughts on an interesting yet confusing poem can spark a deeper discussion of the poet's perspective. A poem may offer you a stack of images, but there are plenty of gaps to fill in through open discussion. Many do not appreciate poetry because most of the time, each person's comprehension of the poem varies widely, which puts readers to not trust themselves for understanding differently. However, that is the beauty of poetry; it can have a different meaning for different readers. Just remember, there's no wrong answer; it's always right. The test may be the same, but we return to the poem with various understanding.