What is poetry?

This is a question that I asked myself, every day, from the ages of 11 to 18. It was only really in the first year of my degree that I began to formulate an answer for myself – and that last bit is the important part: what poetry is depends on your own opinion. You get to decide what poetry is for you. For me, poetry is verbal art. This is obviously broad, vague, and seemingly unhelpful. Poetry can be anything from a strictly formed sonnet, to the text messages you sent in a certain order for dramatic effect this morning. To decide what poetry is for you, read poetry!