9 Reasons to Write Bad Poetry
For some reason, we always need reasons to do things.
You can’t just go to the zoo because you feel like going to the zoo. You probably already know I wanted to see a monkey today because I felt like it is no valid excuse for anything.
Because I want to is an awful excuse if you need to explain your desires to someone you share responsibilities with, such as a housemate or partner.
Instead, you usually have to justify your reasoning in some boring and logical practical manner:
- We want to go to the zoo to spend quality family time with the kids. Anything to get those kids off the computers!
- The zoo is a great educational experience. Science!
- Walking around the zoo is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise. Don’t you want me to be healthy?
Most of the time, we have to make these types of justifications because we have many other things simultaneously demanding our time.
- That leaky faucet in the kitchen driving you insane
- The squealing brakes on the car at every stop sign
- You need to figure out a way to make money
- Tiny people who live in your house rely on you for food
It’s a lot easier to prioritize personal safety and survival items over trivial things like whimsical wishes and moods.
Rather than just run out and write bad poetry for the fun of it, we have to have some justifiable and logical reason. We have to be able to explain why we would give this our attention over everything else.
If you are an adult, you should already know this by now:
Nobody cares about what you want, and they especially do not care how you might feel.
However, just because no one cares doesn’t mean you don’t have desires or feelings. You aren’t a robot.
If you were a robot devoid of wants and emotions, you wouldn’t need to learn how to write bad poetry. With all of the recent advances in artificial intelligence, robots are already way ahead of you in writing poetry and prose.
Emotions, feelings, and dreams often get pushed down much farther on the priorities list. Instead, we give more importance to things in life like food, shelter, and paying our car payments.
You cannot survive on just bread and water. We need to remember that doing something for ourselves once in a while is an act of survival.
People act like mental health is something we shouldn’t talk about. Then they ask, “Why is the world so crazy?”
We spend so much time worrying about what other people need or what might be socially acceptable, we forget about our own wants and needs.
If we ignore our feelings all of the time, we can get a little cranky and irritable to be around. You become an ornery alligator, and nobody wants to spend time with you.
Bottom Line: Doing ridiculous things like writing bad poetry is good for your mental and emotional well-being. It satisfies your creative needs. It helps you process and release all the stress you deal with day in and day out.
We need to justify to ourselves that doing something as pointless as writing bad poetry has a point.
Whether you need to convince a boss, a friend, a co-worker, your parents, your spouse, your financial advisor, or maybe even yourself why bad poetry matters, this list of 9 decent reasons should help you present your case.
1. It’s not drugs.
Writing bad poetry is less harmful for you than illegal drugs.
2. It’s a cheap thrill.
You can start for less than $2. Your wallet will love you.
3. It’s not illegal!
While some places may outlaw reading poems, there are no laws prohibiting you from writing one.
4. A Better Alternative to Violence
If someone angers you, write a poem about it. If you feel like smashing something, smash some words. We have slam poetry for a reason!
5. Nobody is Going to Read Your Poems
It’s okay if every poem you write is terrible; nobody you care about in real life wants to read poetry anyways.
6. Set An Example
Think of the children! You are setting an excellent example for kids to explore new educational pursuits.
7. It’s Eco-Friendly!
No doubt poetry is eco-friendly and supports energy conservation. You can scrawl to your heart’s content on that leftover napkin from lunch by the light of the moon.
8. Your Mental Health
This is the perhaps the best reason. If you use bad poetry to express yourself and take care of your own emotional and mental health needs, no one will have to clean up the wreckage later.
9. Doesn’t Take a Long Time to Write
You can write a bad poem in as much time as it takes you to write 5 words. Poetry is also quite suitable for multi-tasking. You can write poetry during those boring office meetings or while waiting for the washing machine to finish the spin cycle.
I hope this list will help you get off the hook with people who think you need to be doing something productive all the time.
Of course, there’s a much bigger reason why we should write bad poetry.