Did Poetry Die?

Image Courtesy: Pinterest

Today I asked Google, “Do people still read poetry?” Google responded with the following information from the National Endowment for the Arts: “According to the 2022 survey data, however, 9.2 percent of adults, representing 22.4 million, read poetry in the last year. While this rate is nearly three percentage points lower than five years earlier (2017), it remains slightly higher than the 2012 and 2008 levels.” This information was followed by a slew of other sites reporting similar, slightly optimistic views on poetry consumption in the U.S. However, what really struck me about these reports was how low the bar was set for what consisted of reading poetry. A person would be part of that 9.2 percent for having read just one poem in the past year. Unlike the National Endowment for the Arts, I find these numbers less than optimistic, especially when looking around at my own generation.

Image Courtesy: Pinterest

I think modern Americans, especially the youth, are looking to different forms of art and media than poetry to find meaning and to fill their time. Television, movies, music, and social media have become all-encompassing. Reading poetry can sometimes feel more mentally taxing and archaic than these other more popular modes of consuming information. Poetry is often seen as something you learn about in a classroom – not something to read for leisure – and it is for this reason that I think poetry consumption is generally on a decline over the past century. 

While I can understand people’s aversion to mixing work and pleasure, we tend to forget that poetry has a long history of relating to the human experience. Poetry is just another form of media we could use to relate to one another, and an added bonus is that it’s intellectually stimulating. However, our culture gravitates towards instant gratification, and poetry certainly takes a little bit more grappling with than our preferred forms of media.

Image Courtesy: Pinterest

I think poetry would be a great outlet for the youth. It's like the Vine or TikTok of literature. Poems are able to say so much concisely and usually with fewer words, which could certainly please Gen Z’s short attention spans. Poetry can be consumed by just reading poems or even by trying to write your own. Reading poems can be a leisurely, contemplative, and meditative experience. It doesn’t have to be a strenuous academic endeavor. 

So I implore you to explore poetry and see what it has to offer. Go out, spread the word, and don’t let poetry die! 

Strike Out,

Julia White

University of Notre Dame

Editor: Maddie Arruebarrena