Daily Trojan’s Daily Poet: The Validity of Poetry

This week’s poetry focused on the validity of poetry and art. Some people tend to look at art as something that is only supposed to be aesthetically pleasing. They praise art that is “pretty,” but not art that is controversial. Art and poetry are meant to speak to people and challenge the thoughts of others. Art encourages new ways of thinking that allows society to progress. Without art, we wouldn’t know the world like we do today. We won’t have much knowledge of the past, present, or future because our history wouldn’t be documented through art and literature. We should appreciate art for its impact on our everyday lives.

By the time I wrote “Why?” I shifted the focus to mental health to emphasize the power of art. The poems afterwards cover mental health issues such as depression and stress. I concluded the week with a poem about nostalgia. We all have warm memories — dark and happy — that we keep close. Although we look back on these memories, we have to remember to look toward our future. We have to take the lessons we learned from our past and implement them into our present and future. By doing this, we are able to discover more about ourselves and the world around us. In the case of “WheRe iS HomE?,” a song reminds me of my life back in Texas. When I remember Texas, it isn’t home. It is a distant past that I never found comfort in. I have a new home.