The Art of Changing Your Mind: The Power of Poetry

 

The Art of Changing Your Mind: The Power of Poetry

Poetry has long been a source of comfort, inspiration, and self-expression. But one of its most profound gifts is its ability to capture the human experience of changing one's mind. Tess Taylor, a poet and educator, explores this idea in her recent opinion piece.

Taylor uses John Keats' sonnet "Bright Star" as an example of a poem that embodies the power of changing one's mind. The speaker begins by expressing a desire to be as steadfast as a star, but quickly reveals a more nuanced and conflicted perspective. By the end of the poem, the speaker has completely reversed their initial position, affirming the beauty of mortality and connection.

This change of heart is not unique to Keats' poem; it is a fundamental aspect of the human experience. We all grapple with uncertainty, paradox, and the need to reconsider our beliefs and assumptions. Poetry provides a space to explore these complexities, to think aloud, and to turn our attention to new perspectives.

The volta, a term borrowed from sonnet structure, refers to the moment when a poem turns, changes its frame of reference, and alters its argument. This turning is a powerful tool for poets, allowing them to capture the dynamic nature of human thought and emotion. It is a reminder that our minds are not fixed, that we can change, grow, and evolve.

In an era marked by conflict, division, and certainty, poetry offers a much-needed space for uncertainty, paradox, and the exploration of human vulnerability. Taylor argues that we need poetry now more than ever, as a way to counterbalance the dominant narratives of our time. By embracing the complexity of human experience, poetry can help us find empathy, compassion, and understanding.

Ultimately, the art of changing one's mind is a fundamental aspect of the human experience. Poetry provides a powerful tool for exploring this complexity, for thinking aloud, and for turning our attention to new perspectives. As Taylor so eloquently puts it, "Poems are a place where we can perform the art of uncertainty, the art of changing the frame, the art of growing humble before what may never be resolved."