In poetry, we say...

Photo by Guen Ramirez

Jay Parini, an American writer and academic, says poetry is the language of metaphor, a way of comparing things to help us understand the world better. In his book “Why Poetry Matters,” he says, “Poets, like Aristotle believed, are good at noticing connections between things.”

Parini explains the study of metaphor began with Aristotle’s Poetics and was later expanded by thinkers like Cicero and Quintilian in ancient Rome. “During the Middle Ages, metaphors and symbols gained religious meaning, and scholars studied the many layers of meaning in texts,” Parini says. According to Parini, this long history shows why metaphor still matters in literature, science, and history today.

Parini says a new trend related to poetry, “In English we say, but in poetry we convey,” has become trending on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Threads. The trend compares simple, direct phrases with poetic, emotional versions to show how poetry adds depth and creativity to language. For example, posts often share comparisons like, “In English, we say, ‘I miss you,’ but in poetry, we say, ‘The moon refuses to shine without you.’”

In English, we say: "I love you."
In poetry, we say: “You are not just one star, but an entire constellation, that fills every inch of the sky, so even when the sun doesn’t shine, I know that I never walk in darkness alone.”

In English, we say: “I adore you.”
In poetry, we say: “I wish I were the wind so I could kiss your skin, weave through your hair, and carry your scent with me forever.”

In English, we say: "Pretty you."
In poetry, we say: “Even if the night sky is filled with stars, I’d rather see them reflected in your eyes.”

In English, we say: "Deep conversations."
In poetry, we say: “I long for someone with whom I can shed all pretenses and speak my soul beneath the stars.”

In English, we say: “I don’t know what to say.”
In poetry, we say: “Silence, a language I don’t yet speak. Perhaps my heart will script the lines when my tongue surrenders its battle.”

In English, we say: “I miss you.”
In poetry, we say: “I’m sitting here waiting, as each day fades, into the next, for you to absorb me, with shy hands, so flexed, my heart beats a dance, softer than ballet, flash me your smile, like the break of day.”

In English, we say: "You are my choice."
In poetry, we say: “Even if I could shine among the stars, I’d choose to sit in the rain with you.”

In English, we say: "You gotta do what is best for you."
In poetry, we say: “Go where the wind calls you by your name loudest. I will watch, but not weigh your wings.”

In English, we say: “I don’t want to regret it”
In poetry, we say: “So I move, not fearless, but with care because I don’t want to carry."