What Kind of Poetry Do You Read or Write? (& Sale)

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It's so nice to appreciate something like poetry. I'm guessing that since you're here, you like poetry. What kind of poetry do you like? That question might be somewhat difficult to answer because there's so many types of poetry. 

I cannot count the times I have been asked what kind of poetry I write. My answer is usually all kinds which is often met with a bewildered look. I honestly don't know what people expect me to answer. I usually follow up with the answer of "a lot of free verse", and sometimes explain what that is. That's poetry that doesn't technically follow a form. It doesn't rhyme throughout.

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There are so many types of poetry, I went to college and got a degree, and am still learning about different kinds today. Last year I went to an intro to poetry class and learned about even more forms of poetry. For example, the list poem is a poem where you make a poem out of a list, and I didn't know about it. I write Sonnets sometimes. And Haikus. Is that what people want to know? Do you want to know which form of Sonnet I write? (There's more than just Shakespearean sonnets). I don't remember the name for it, I'm not 100% there is one, but I think there is: but I write using the Shakespearean form without the iambic pentameter. If you're not a poet or English major, do you even know what I'm talking about? Would you be able to say that's the type of poetry you like? Something in an ABAB rhyming format, in iambic pentameter, with a couplet with a CC Rhyming scheme at at the end? You might say Sonnet, but I'm guessing you'd say you like Shakespeare's poetry. That's more understandable. (And I would never be so bold as to compare my poetry to Shakespeare's poetry). Some poets stick themselves into one type of poem, and that's not me. I want to write, and actually read all kinds of forms!

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Maybe you want to know about the subject matter of my poetry. What subject matter of poetry do you like? Generally I write something that has nature woven into it, and except with the case of the Haiku's where that's actually a rule, it's unintentional on my part. I just love nature that much I guess. But really, for me, no subject matter is off limits in the case of writing OR reading poetry. Sometimes I'm not in the mood for the more violent, darker stuff, sometimes I am. I am a horror fan after all (Thanks Edgar Allen Poe)!

Or maybe you like "depressing" poetry, or maybe you like more cheerful stuff. So maybe you want to know if the kind of poetry a person likes or writes, is actually what kind of mood of poetry a person likes. In high-school, a friend and I were doing some sort of poetry thing (go ahead and comment, friend, if you read this). We were trying to make a poetry publication or something like that and trying to collect poetry from students. A couple of girls came to us and told us that they wrote depressing poetry like it was a bad thing or something. Me and my friend gave each other a look saying, "So? Poetry is supposed to be depressing". I'm not in High-school anymore, and most of my poetry is more hopeful now actually. I find nothing wrong with either mood: hopeful or depressing. Or anything in-between, hence the 3 parts in Un-Clenched Emotion, Enjoying, Despairing, and Philosophizing.

 (I'd like to take a break to plug my book here a bit.) The Kindle version of Un-Clenched Emotion is going to be on sale for .99 cents on Prime Days again. Actually, before and after. June 22nd-June 29th 2026 are my sale days. I haven't sold many copies for .99 cents yet, which is weird, because I've sold copies at the $2.99 price. Oh well, I suppose I'll keep doing it. Took over a year to get my first review. I couldn't give my book away for free at first, then gave away a few, then it made the for free best seller list. So one day, maybe more people without Kindle Unlimited will pick up my book for $0.99. (Or people with Kindle Unlimited will decide they want to keep it forever!) While I might not compare it to Shakespeare, I definitely think that's a good deal for a book with an average 4.4 star rating on Amazon and Goodreads! The link is https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZNVH4Y

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Back to the main subject. What do you answer when someone asks you what kind of poetry you like? Do you say an authors name? Do you say a form, a subject matter, or a mood? Or something else entirely? I mentioned 2 poets I like in this post. I like many more. I like all subjects, emotions, and moods. I can't say I like all forms, but I like learning about all of them, and sometimes I won't like one at first and then it will grow on me. What do you want to know when you ask a person what kind of poetry do they like to read or what kind of poetry do they write? 

And in follow up from previous blogs this year: I did work on Seasons of Sensation this month, plus I wrote a lot of reviews. I went to Poetry Open Mic Night again and read some poems. Next I'd like to make a video of "Relating to a Mystery". June is Pride Month. I feel that it only effects me indirectly. I just learned it's PTSD Awareness month which does affect me directly, since I've been diagnosed with it. Also, since me and my husband come from military families, it affects our families too. I did/am writing a poem about that in Seasons of Sensation. Have fun with whatever type of poetry you like in anyway you want to have fun with it!

Happy Birthday Natasha: Kindle .99 cent sale

 

My 46th birthday is coming up in a few days. In honor of that, I have decided to put the Kindle Book Un-Clenched Emotion on sale for ninety-nine cents ($0.99). The promotion runs from today, Tuesday December 9th 2025 to Tuesday December 16th. Go to:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZNVH4Y to buy the book. Or you can read it on Kindle Unlimited for free. The 99 cents is discounted from the usual 2.99 it costs for this book. That's about 33% off!

photo by: Robert Anderson 

Now, double Happy Birthday, especially to those who like print books, my paperback is still 30% off. Instead of the normal 9.99, it's $7. Amazon decided to put on the discount without consulting me, so I don't know how long this will last! (I'm happy about the discount, I just wish I'd been notified!). The paperback of Un-Clenched Emotion would make a great gift 🎁 for Christmas 🎄 or for someone's birthday 🎂 lol. If not as a gift, it would be great for yourself, perhaps to put on your coffee table. If you want the paperback go to: https://www.amazon.com/Clenched-Emotion-Collection-Poems/dp/1537725327 

Thanks for checking out my blog and Happy Reading!

The Benefits of Reading Poetry

Sometimes people are interested in poetry and sometimes they’re not. The interest or lack of interest can be found in both the reading and writing aspect.  It’s a shame more people aren’t interested in poetry.  Following are some of the benefits to both reading and writing poems.

Reading poetry allows people to relax and learn new things.  It can help with recognizing emotions within one’s self and make the readers notice emotions in others better.  Sometimes reading poetry makes people feel smarter, allowing them to get correct answers on quiz shows like Jeopardy.  Sometimes new words are found, and that also helps to better the mind.  After looking at some poems, one may find that they describe things better when in normal conversation.  If people want to learn many new things, they may go a step further and read about the author.  This can help with learning some historical facts that were previously unknown to the reader.  Another benefit of reading poetry is that it can be therapeutic since it allows one to concentrate which can be a form of meditation.  With so many benefits of reading poetry, I’m not sure why people don’t necessarily like doing it, I find it wonderful.  I highly recommend reading about different subjects so that at least new things can be learned.

For some people, like me, writing poetry is also relaxing.  For others, it can be stressful.  However, writing poetry has many of the same benefits of reading poetry.  When coming up with ideas, new things often present themselves to writers.  New words are thought up and discovered.  Writing about emotions really helps authors know emotions in others.  Reading about authors can help the creator of a poem not only enhance their learning, but allow the aspiring poet to come up with new inspiration.  There are some other added benefits to writing poetry that people may not necessarily get if they are only reading it. Writing is definitely a creative outlet.  Completing a poem can be an ego boost once the person writing it realizes their creativity has helped them make a new creation.  Creating something worthwhile makes a person feel proud of themselves.  If a poem is written in a certain style, skills other than writing may be used.  The most obvious one is coming up with a rhyme scheme.  Other skills may be used as well though, for example; math skills.  Syllables, lines, and stanza may need to be counted.  Especially if something like a sonnet or haiku is being written.  There are obviously many benefits to writing poetry.

For some, writing comes hard, and it is not relaxing to them.  It causes stress, which is counterproductive.  If this is the case, there is no shame in avoiding writing.  Reading poetry is relatively simple though, so there really is no excuse to avoid reading it.  Both writing and reading poems can allow people to find relaxation and learn many new skills like learning new words and new information.  Poetry is clearly beneficial.