#048 - School Makes Students Hate Poetry. Here’s Why.

Why do so many people say, "I don't like poetry"? In this episode of The Poetry Vessel Podcast, Malibu Poet Laureate Emeritus Nathan Hassall and I/O Psych expert Rachael Hassall dig into why so many people leave school hating poetry, and how to learn how to love reading poetry again.

👉 JOIN OUR FREE POETRY COMMUNITY & WRITING WORKSHOPS:

https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/signup

If school or bad English teachers ruined creative writing and poetry analysis for you, you aren't alone. Today, we unpack the classroom myths that strip modern poetry of its joy, explore the neuroscience of why the human brain is wired for rhythm, meter, and rhyme, and look at what Dead Poets Society understood about the power of art that traditional education missed.

Whether you are looking for poetry for beginners, trying to figure out how to write a poem, or want to understand the healing power of memorizing great spoken word and classical poems for mental health, this conversation is your way back in.

Nathan shares his personal experiences teaching poetry to kids in California, an unorthodox dancing tip to unlock how to write poetry with better creative flow, and how to embrace the orality of poetry in nature.

Drop a comment below to participate in our live word-association experiment!

EVERYTHING ELSE:

👉 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathanhassall

🙏 SUPPORT US ON PATREON:

https://www.patreon.com/cw/ThePoetryVessel

📜 SUBMIT YOUR POETRY:

https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/submit

🧠 HOW POETRY CHANGES YOUR BRAIN COURSE (LIMITED TIME DISCOUNT):

https://www.nathanhassall.com/changeyourbrain

📌 CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Why Do People Hate Poetry?

00:40 - The School Myth: "There's Only One Right Meaning"

01:26 - How the Joy Gets Stripped Out of Poetry

02:07 - Teaching Poetry to Kids: Using William Blake's "The Tiger"

04:13 - The Neuroscience of Poetry: Why We're Wired for Meter and Rhyme

07:11 - How Passionate Teachers Change Everything (& Dead Poets Society)

09:37 - Overcoming the Fear of Feeling Stupid About Poetry

11:31 - Live Reading: "Sailing to Byzantium" by W.B. Yeats

12:57 - Can Memorizing Great Poems Heal the Mind?

16:20 - The Viral Poetry Tip: Just Dance!

21:16 - Shel Silverstein and the Gift of Poetry

23:46 - Actionable Tips: How to Bring Joy Back into Poetry

25:09 - Learning the Art of Attention in Nature

25:56 - Is It Okay to Still Not Like Poetry?

PODCAST DISCLAIMER:

The views, opinions, discussions, and statements expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and are intended to represent their personal opinions and perspectives. Listener discretion is advised. The Poetry Vessel is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information presented and disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance on any information presented in this podcast.

FTC DISCLAIMER:

Some of the links above may be affiliate links, which means that if you click on them we may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The commission is paid by the retailers, at no cost to you, and this helps to support our channel and keep our videos free. Thank you!

#Poetry #HowToWriteAPoem #CreativeWriting #DeadPoetsSociety #ThePoetryVessel