Poetry & teenagers

Poetry is a good fit for teenagers, she feels, because it "seems like a way to convey a person's emotions, and because teens seem to be going through so much with exams and relationships that they need to be able to put it down somewhere". Meyer feels similarly. "I think that teenagers like writing poetry to let out their 'teenage angst', or to write about things they wouldn't have otherwise known much about. When you write a poem in the point of view of someone else, you have to put yourself in their shoes, and feel everything that they would have felt. It gives you a unique view on events, and I don't know if other teens feel the same about it as me, but it is certainly why I like to write poetry. As for reading poetry online… I think that it gives teens reassurance that other people their age feel the same way as them, and are going through the same emotional changes."

Chanced upon an article on Guardian about the renaissance of poetry in this cyber age - that poetry is a good outlet for teens as they're experiencing changes and need to pen things out in order to cope. They let out their emotions, and write about things that fellow teens understand too.

Movella is a community in which people contribute their writings.

Lesson idea: 
- Get students to think of something they want to blog about. (Fights with friends, misunderstandings, study stress, physical changes, family unhappiness, or even contentment, satisfaction, appreciation of life if they are able to)
- Instead of ranting onto a blog, write it into a poem. Use the afore taught devices and structures to guide.
- This will cultivate a habit of writing succintly and to use the best vocabulary suited for their emotions.