2.1–Introduction

A poem should not mean / But be.^[1]

—Archibald MacLeish, “Ars Poetica”

Most readers, upon encountering a poem for the first time, usually want to know one thing: what does it mean? Poems are made up of words after all, specially crafted arrangements of words, and words convey meanings. Therefore, readers conclude, this special arrangement of words must convey a special meaning. Yet meaning is not waiting to be unearthed from the poem, as if the poem were an archaeological dig. No, the meaning of a poem rests in the experience of it, not in meaning dug from it but in the very act of digging itself.

How, then, does a poem be? That is precisely the question this introduction answers and where any analysis of a poem ought to begin.

It is often said that poetry is a special way of using language, a heightened attention to the materiality of the words, the marks on the page, and vibrations in the air that create and convey all meaning. However, if we reflect upon all the special uses of language that different societies throughout history have considered to be poetry, there seems to be little consensus. Some literary cultures have valued highly organized and predetermined ways of using language, such as the sonnet in European culture, while others, such as the beatniks in America, have rejected such strict organization. Where one literary culture might value the higher-order, often religious meaning produced by such special arrangements of words, others find delight in the play of the immediate and palpable. Some literary cultures value the sonorous elements, rhyme and rhythm, creating poems meant to be heard, while others value the visual, creating poems meant to be seen.

As you can see, the special arrangements of words that qualify as poetry are subject to quite a bit of historical variability. Value judgments change. Yet despite this variability in tastes and judgments, certain technical features—craft elements—can be identified in common across all types of poetry. This introduction will, accordingly, highlight the craft elements used by poets, because whatever tastes and values inform the reader’s or writer’s perspectives, these craft elements define the very being of poetry itself. Most of the terminology related to craft elements will be explored in this chapter, but the sheer number of terms means you should consult the glossary as well.