What is Poetry?

Poetry is a hard thing to define. It almost seems that every time a poet writes his/her thoughts in poetic form, he/she is adding to the ongoing definition of the genre. Indeed, many poets write their definitions in the form of poems called ars poetica (or "the art of poetry"). When Lawrence Ferlinghetti, a Beat Poet, won the Frost Medal for his body of work, his speech was an ars poetica of sorts. Here it is for you to read:

http://www.poetrysociety.org/journal/articles/whatispoetry.html

Seniors, please read this ars poetica and find some (three or more) lines that resonant with you. This will become your first posting on your blog site. Tell what poetry is to you and refer to these lines. Read some others and respond. Juniors, feel free to join in on our discussion.