The good thing about writing, and poetry in particular, is that there can be so many meanings in the same section of text, and that it can touch so many people. that the author didn't even know. This may also help this author. It helps them express feelings that they just can't find how to express, but poetry will always be there to listen. And as strange as it may seem to put a tagline on all poetry while I'm sitting here talking about how it's different for everyone, I think John Keats expresses it best with his quote: "The Poetry must be large and discreet, something which enters into the soul and does not frighten or astonish it by itself, but by its subject. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay This quote from John Keats is a great representation of poetry for many reasons. Starting with the beginning of the quote "Poetry must be large and discreet", this is an essential element if poetry is to remain as large as it is today. If poetry were to be overwhelming, people would not write poetry from their hearts or feelings, but to attract more people's attention, leading to an overall decrease in meaningful poetry from writers. The second half, "a thing which enters into the soul and which frightens or astonishes it not by itself, but by its subject" is also an integral part of all poetry. As we said before, poetry means many different things to many different people. If everyone read poetry the same way, almost all of the meaning of the poem would be immediately erased, because interpreting a poem in different ways is what brings the poem to life and its ability to connect with people. The poem, My City, illustrates this. quote and his ideas as a whole wonderfully. In this poem, the narrator talks about his love for his city of Manhattan while wondering what he would miss most if he were to die. He first wanders through nature, thinking that he might miss the sun or the trees, before saying no, and assuring that the loss of Manhattan would be the greatest sorrow for him. This ties in with John Keats' quote because Manhattan has become an integral part of this narrator's soul, so much so that he would miss it more than the sun or the trees. The narrator was able to interpret and explore the city himself, and he received his own personal message from the city, and from this personal meaning he received he cherished it more than anything else in the world. And this is similar to what John Keats says poetry should be, something that the reader can explore for themselves and find their own personal meaning. And so, just as the narrator found his version of the city while exploring, the reader should also get his own version of the poem. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a custom essay Although each reader can take their own personal message from a poem, from the words of John Keats we can see that there should be one thing that all poetry should have in common, namely the different messages aimed at individuals who might simply read the poem differently. the person sitting right next to them. So while you can keep up with everyone else when it comes to seeing themes in poems, be sure to find your Manhattan every once in a while..