The language of poetry

Paul Valery wrote, "Poetry is an art of language: certain combinations of words can produce an emotion that others do not produce....In short, it is a language within a language."

Those who love words and language generally love poetry. Christopher Fry has said, "Poetry is the language in which man explores his own amazement." In addition, Paul Engle wrote in The New York Times that "poetry is ordinary language raised to the nth power. Poetry is boned with ideas, nerved and blooded with emotions, all held together by the delicate, tough skin of words."

And my favorite definition with perfectly joined words: "Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits." Carl Sandburg Makes you want to smell and eat, doesn't it? Brings to mind this little ditty:

Ink runs from the corners of my mouth
There is no happiness like mine.
I have been eating poetry.

Mark Strand