Dearest reader,

However you have stumbled upon this paper I would like to thank you. For without you my words and time would have been a simple waste of space. I could have written you a poem or a novel, but I would not be able to find the words or have enough time. Even though my time is not dwindling I know I won’t ever be able to say all the words I have inside or touch the hearts of enough people to shape the world. So, I hope dear reader this makes you ponder, even for a second, about why do written words matter?

Fundamentals and Complexity
        Depending on your religion, the believed “first” language may vary and many linguists also argue it may be near impossible to discover what it was. With what we currently know, Sumerian language is the first written language. And Scholars can generally agree the earliest form of writing appeared almost 5,500 years ago in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). Currently there are roughly 6,500 languages worldwide all of which can be very diverse from one another. They all serve a similar purpose; helps express our feelings, desires, all the things that make us human. It is fundamental in trying to survive, allowing us to form nations and communicate, as well as adapt. Language is also seen as a big part of identity and culture. So how can something so fundamental be so complex? If you don’t believe me that language is complex, allow me to enlighten you. Words from different languages can have words with common meanings through a connection through Latin or Greek roots. And as children we learn not just words and their meanings, but also how to properly construct sentences and can understand many complex operations of grammar (ex). multiple definitions of words; past, present and future tenses, arrangement of subject and object; verb conjugation and so much more. When you process language reading or writing we stimulate multiple parts of the brain at once. Most native English speakers know around 20,000–35,000 words, and there are an estimated 171,146 words currently in use in the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, not to mention 47,156 obsolete words. So how did we take the most simple human tool and use it to form complex works of literature?

        As I mentioned above language helps express our feelings, desires, all the things that make us human. But what do words mean to people? Why does reading poetry or a powerful piece of literature move us so much, and why do we interpret it differently? How and why does it change us? Before I begin it should be made clear that language means a body of words, and a set of methods of combining them (called grammar), understood by a community and used as a form of communication. Whereas words or in our case literature mean the smallest unit of language that has a particular meaning and can be expressed by itself. They are novels, poems and essays that we use to make connections to the world around us. Which means in simpler terms, language is shared by a community, a more broad term. Whereas literature is more referring to writings. Lastly before we can start discussing  creating we must pause on reading. Reading is still a large way to consume information and learn. We can use reading as a way to distress and sharpen our memory. Numerous studies have been conducted on the health benefits of reading. Sharpening concentration, memory, and broadening our perspective are just a few. We also exhibit something very human whenever we relate to a character or their struggle. Our ability to empathize with others is great, but our ability to identify with fictional characters is something truly magical. As we read literature we train ourselves to be human in a sense. As we read we can see effects derived from our cognitive capacity for empathy, or in other words, we place ourselves in other’s shoes. Depending on your experiences you may interpret things a particular way while reading. 

Society’s Value on Literature and Poetry
       Many people argue about the importance of poetry in the modern world. Many opinions vary and it is a more controversial subject. Writer Anna Vaught explained that to her, poetry was, “my antidote to despair, tiredness and loneliness; a thread that runs through my life. I solve problems with its lines—not just their lexicon, but the life breathed into form by rhythm, rhyme or meter: a riddle; a moment of joy. It is my borrowed voice.” She continues her article by sharing touching moments about how poetry has been her anchor and the grace it bestowed upon her. In my personal interpretation she is explaining how poetry is a puzzle that we can solve and hold dear. It is a way to learn and view the world from a new perspective and question or solidify our purpose. If we ever feel lost, it is a way to feel a sense of center much like a favorite song or quote. She is illustrating how all poems have a purpose and can allow us to express through crafted words of someone else. In a prose from Poetry Magazine, Does Poetry Have a Social Function?  Major Jackson argues that, “The function of poetry is that it does not have any function beyond its own construction and being-in-the-world. For this reason, poetry makes everything (and, yes, nothing) happen.” In my personal interpretation, he is referring to the ambiguity from large sets of literature. One poem or writing may question the purpose of life, causing us to question what it means, while another may solidify a said “Big Life question”. Poetry written on it’s own does not help society unless one can find the meaning behind a poem and act. It causes us to ponder and explore new questions, but if the question is irrelevant or does not strike us as noteworthy we will forget it and move on. Poetry has no use if it does not cause the author and audience to receive and learn, otherwise it is simply a waste of resources. Even in the few examples I illustrated above we can see that poetry can be a powerful tool if we put it to good use. It has some sort of power and influence, but only if we share it with others. It has to be relevant and well written. The same may hold true on literature. If it is something we can relate to or is still relevant it will be remembered and discussed, until it becomes irrelevant.

          Observations from a Unfinished Eighth Grader

       Before I draw this to a close I would like to explain my “why?”, or my motivation behind this all too short piece. First off I don’t consider myself a very creative person nor do I enjoy writing. I tend to stick with logic, avoiding poetry and things that are up for interpretation. With that said, I surprised myself by enrolling into my school’s creative writing class. I was immediately doubtful of my ability to write and was quite nervous. Now that this is my final required piece for this class I can say I surprised myself. I found I enjoyed writing even if it was a bit more difficult than I would have liked, to connect ideas on paper as they raced through my mind. I have always wanted to do something meaningful, yet I know how easy it is for oral words to go unrecorded and forgotten. That led me to writing this, a small paper on the power of written words. I chose the adjective “unfinished” simply because it’s the most fitting. I have so much I want to say, so much I can do, so much I can fix. I am not a perfect writer, not even close, but if I am able to change one person for the better it will be enough. So until I can change one person, I will continue to pick up my pen and write. If I can change one then why not two? So on and so forth until I can no longer write, until then I will remain unfinished and curious. 

              Most of the questions I asked are unanswered simply because I could not find a concrete answer. Instead I read multiple different opinions and formulated my own with what I learned. From what I read and my personal experience believe that poetry has created a unique place in society. I believe it lays in the spot somewhere between classic literature and lyrical music, similarly to speeches. We use it for our own enjoyment and to let go for a bit (like music), and the most powerful and profound will remain until we can no longer know how to read (classic literature). It can have a strong influence if we allow it to touch our lives and shape our morals or cause us to question what we believe. While on the other hand it does nothing if it simply goes unshared and will one day become less relevant or irrelevant altogether. We each place our own personal value on it; for some it has the same value as gold and rich jewels, for others nothing more than paper and lines. Most of the questions I asked in this paper I have no answer to and may never. Words are not something we can place a material value on. They have the same value as a treasured memory and the power to push and motivate ourselves till we collapse. Simply stated poetry and words are like a lethologica that we will chase after each poem and word getting closer, but never quite making it. It's magic and an art. It’s as real as the blood we bleed, but as deep and profound as the deepest sea. We may never know their exact value, so in my final lines, I leave you with one question, what does it mean to you?