We all have our preferences, especially when it comes to art. But what happens when those preferences clash with our friends’? I find myself increasingly frustrated by my friends’ taste in poetry, particularly their fondness for overly simplistic, saccharine verse. It makes me want to scream, “This isn’t poetry! This is Hallmark card sentimentality!”
But then the guilt sets in. Am I the literary snob, the one who’s gatekeeping art and making my friends feel inferior? After all, they enjoy these poems, they find them meaningful, and who am I to judge?
It’s a tricky situation. I want to share my love of complex, thought-provoking poetry, but I don’t want to come across as condescending. Maybe the solution lies in a gentle approach. Perhaps I could start by suggesting poems I enjoy and see if they resonate. Or, I could engage in discussions about the techniques and themes of different poems, encouraging a deeper appreciation.
Ultimately, I need to respect my friends’ tastes, even if they differ from my own. Maybe this isn’t about bad taste, but rather a difference in what we value in poetry. It’s an opportunity to learn from each other and expand our perspectives, without resorting to literary elitism. After all, enjoying poetry, in any form, is a gift in itself.