I’ve never been a big fan of poetry. I think it’s because poems tend to be abstract, and people tend to read too deeply into lousy poetry to find deep meanings the author never intended.
Good poetry, however, can be helpful in introspection. Poetry is abstract enough that it forces you to interpret. That feature alone is very powerful. It is the reason why two people reading The Bible might understand its teachings in two completely different ways. The Bible, like poetry, is abstract. It teaches, “Thou shalt not kill,” and leaves it at that. It is up to the reader to interpret whether it means you should not kill animals or unborn fetuses, or if there are any exceptions for self-protection or times of war.
A good poem forces your mind to work and interpret. It can dig up thoughts buried deep within your soul. Perhaps it is a good idea to integrate a poem into your daily routine.
For reading poetry, PoemHunter.com is my favorite site. It has many ways to browse for the perfect poem, and famous poems are linked to a video reading of the poem. Poets.org also has an extensive collection of poems.
If you are more of a creator and less of a consumer, Rhymer finds words that rhyme to help you in your poetry writing. Then you can submit your poems to Poetry.com, where millions of poets share and critique each other’s poems.