| As with all types and genres of writing, some | | | | Personally I like Roger McGough's poetry because |
| people really love poetry and even prefer it to | | | | it can be fun at times and the structure is all over |
| standard prose; others have a strong dislike for | | | | the place, yet a lot of his work is also moving and |
| this form of writing. For those who love poetry, it | | | | 'true to life'. The reader can normally understand |
| can be the simplicity or the complexity of the | | | | and relate to his work, and can see the skill and |
| language structure that is so appealing, depending | | | | beauty in conveying so much interest and feeling |
| on the way in which the poem has been written. | | | | in such a small amount of text. |
| Some love the challenge that complex poetry can | | | | Poetry collections are where most people start |
| bring, and the sheer amount of symbolism and | | | | out their exploratory journey into poetry. Most |
| hidden meaning that can be captured in a very | | | | individuals are given an anthology to study at |
| small number of lines. Alternatively, fun poetry, | | | | school or college, or they pick a poetry collection |
| poetry that rhymes or that tells a silly story can | | | | off of a book store or library shelf; either a |
| be equally as appealing thanks to its simplicity in | | | | mixture of poets all writing about a similar theme, |
| meaning and in language. And then of course | | | | or a collection from one particular poet. So, |
| there is the actual language itself. Whether you | | | | whether trying to attract a lethargic or unwilling |
| love or dislike poetry, you are at least likely to | | | | reader or trying to keep an avid reader's passion |
| concede that poetry (along with song) is the only | | | | alive, in order to be successful a collection of |
| real format of writing that can get away with so | | | | poetry needs to 'work' as one book. What makes |
| much alliteration, rhyme and short or meandering | | | | a collection of poems work well? Diversity in style |
| sentence construction. | | | | and language sufficient to keep a reader reading |
| There are many reasons as to why an individual | | | | through the entire collection, a strong enough |
| might dislike poetry as a form of writing. It isn't | | | | thread of storyline or progressive theme to |
| always that accessible, this is true. Certain poets | | | | enable the reader to know where he or she is |
| write in such an obscure way that understanding | | | | within the collection at any one time, some direct |
| the poem at either face value or at a symbolic | | | | contracts in style or language to demonstrate |
| level can prove to be greatly challenging. This can | | | | change and allow for easy recognition of this |
| be off-putting, even to the most tenacious reader | | | | change, and regardless of how 'full on' the poetry |
| or student. And if it is this type of poetry that an | | | | is, some light reprieves scattered throughout are |
| individual is first introduced to, the desire to go | | | | essential to keep the reader's focus and to |
| back and look at more poetry, even a lighter | | | | provide motivation to continue through the |
| form of poetry is unlikely to be over-whelming! | | | | collection. |