Redemption—a method to relieve or compensate for someone or something’s unfavorable behavior or characteristics. The connotation of poetry is ambiguous and can offer society a multitude of thoughts and emotions about the concrete and abstract concepts of life. However, the fundamental aspect of poetry is its ability to redeem the mind and reputation of someone or something. Poets organized a series of words to express perceptions, wisdom, and correlations. These words relieve the stress of the poet, clarify the image of the subject, and educate readers with either new insights or aesthetic appraisals. For me, poetry is a medium to illustrate complex ideas and personal experiences in various forms. Whether it is an intricate explanation of my existential disposition or a simple description of my house, poetry cultivates my intellectual strengths and transcribes them onto paper.
During our class poetry workshop with Melanie Goodreaux, we were engaged in considering various poetic techniques utilized to present an idea. While Goodreaux did inform the class about the importance of tone, rhythm, imagery, and concurrence when analyzing and creating poems, she mentioned two primary poetic components I never truly considered—honesty and the baseline. The baseline of a poem is the main message or insight the author wishes to convey to the reader, while the author’s honesty supplements the poem with genuine emotions. In Mary Oliver’s poem “Wild Geese,” Goodreaux explained how Oliver’s baseline is to emphasize the importance of never succumbing to your hardships since there will always be another day. Then, in Gregory Pardlo’s poem “Written by Himself,” Goodreaux briefly touched on how Pardlo’s baseline is to understand how everyone has a unique disposition which makes them who they are. Analyzing these two philosophical poems demonstrated the vital significance of relatability as many of the students, including myself, could relate some aspect of our lives to the insights of these poems.
The thrilling part of the workshop was when Goodreaux directed us to create poems about any topic in a pattern similar to the poems we collectively analyzed. Writing my poem about a personal struggle and reading it to the entire class was, as Goodreaux stated, a massive relief. Releasing my thoughts removed a significant burden from my mind and spirit as it was rejuvenating to express myself honestly. I redeemed a part of myself as I was able to own my personal issue rather than let personal issue own me. Listening to my classmates share their poems provided hints of insight and occasional humor as the moment made the classroom environment appear friendly and less intimidating. By proudly expressing who we are, we could redeem almost any self-depreciating thoughts or negative characteristics.
Sharing some of our class time with a remarkable poet and playwright was both a great honor and a wonderful experience. In the brief period we had, Goodreaux provided several fundamental pieces of wisdom and reinforced other ideas about poetry as a medium to express the large and small details of life. The session was both intellectually rewarding and full of humorous moments when sharing our poems. I would like to thank Goodreaux for illustrating the redeeming power of poetry and for sharing her time with our class. I heartily look forward to future insightful sessions similar to this poetry workshop.
—Patrick Perrigo
