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Poetry engages unique regions of the brain that remain untouched by other literary forms. Squaredpixels/Getty ImagesMain Insights
- While everyday language and prose influence the brain, poetry uniquely stimulates specific brain regions responsible for detecting its rhythmic patterns, rhymes, and the contemplation of its vivid imagery and profound meanings.
- The brain's response to poetry reveals an innate, intuitive bond with verse, implying that our appreciation for poetry is deeply rooted in our neural framework.
- Engaging with poetry, whether by reading or listening, not only evokes emotional and aesthetic reactions but also boosts cognitive abilities such as adaptable thinking and the skill to interpret intricate, layered meanings, which can aid in daily decision-making processes.
From Alfred Lord Tennyson's "Ulysses" to Maya Angelou's "Caged Bird,", experiencing a powerful poem has the ability to ignite our thoughts, encouraging us to view the world through a fresh perspective. Neuroscientific research confirms that this phenomenon is far from coincidental.
Recent advancements in neuroscience, including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), have allowed researchers to explore how the brain responds to poetry. Findings reveal that the brain is naturally attuned to identifying the rhythmic and rhyming patterns unique to poetry, distinguishing them from standard speech or prose. Additionally, engaging with poetic imagery and the nuanced meanings within poems stimulates specific brain regions—some of which are also involved in interpreting our daily experiences.
The profound impact of poetry on our minds can be attributed to the brain's inherent ability to recognize it. A recent study published in Frontiers of Psychology highlights this phenomenon. Researchers at Bangor University in the UK presented Welsh-speaking participants with sentences adhering to the complex rules of Cynghanedd, a traditional Welsh poetic form, alongside sentences that did not. Despite having no prior knowledge of Cynghanedd, participants consistently rated the rule-following sentences as "better." EEG recordings further revealed a unique spike in brain activity immediately after participants heard the final word of a poetic line.
A father and daughter sit on a sofa, engrossed in their books.
commerceandculturestock/Getty Images"Our findings suggest that poetry originates from a deeply intuitive place within us," explains Bangor psychology professor Guillaume Thierry via email. "Poetry seems to be an innate part of human nature, a kind of instinctual creativity, making every individual an unwitting poet."
Poetry has a unique impact on distinct brain regions, influenced by the emotional intensity and the intricacy of the language and ideas. In a 2013 study published in the Journal of Consciousness Studies, researchers at the University of Exeter in the UK conducted fMRI scans on participants as they read a variety of texts. These included mundane excerpts, like a heating equipment manual, alongside novel passages and poems, some of which participants had previously identified as their favorites. Participants evaluated the texts based on emotional resonance and literary complexity.
The study revealed that texts evoking stronger emotions triggered heightened activity in the right hemisphere of the brain, particularly in areas linked to emotional responses, similar to those activated by music in a 2001 study. Conversely, more "literary" texts stimulated the left hemisphere, including the basal ganglia, which plays a role in both motor control and processing complex sentences. Favorite poems weakly engaged reading-related brain networks but strongly activated the inferior parietal lobes, areas tied to recognition and memory.
"Favorite poems seemed to be 'remembered' rather than simply 'read,'" notes Adam Zeman, a professor of cognitive and behavioral neurology at Exeter, in an email.
In a 2015 study published in Cortex, researchers at the University of Liverpool used fMRI to explore brain activity during the reading of poetry and prose. They aimed to identify regions involved in "literary awareness"—the ability to interpret and derive meaning from complex texts. Half of the passages featured unexpected twists, described by Philip Davis, a professor and director of the Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, as "a-ha moments." (For example, William Wordsworth's 1799 poem "She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways," which subtly hints at an unrequited love.) Participants rated the poetic quality of the passages and whether the concluding lines prompted a reevaluation of the text's meaning, a key measure of literary awareness.
"This fMRI study is the first to explore how the brain processes poetry line by line, highlighting the development of literary awareness as opposed to more straightforward, literal comprehension," Davis explains via email. "The poetic content activated brain regions associated with deeper, non-automatic meaning processing, resulting in heightened mental engagement and a sense of psychological fulfillment."
Beyond stirring emotions and enriching our inner lives, poetry also serves a practical purpose. The cognitive abilities we use to decipher complex works like T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"—such as adaptable thinking and interpreting layered meanings—also equip us to handle life's uncertainties and make informed decisions.
"Activating literary awareness can significantly challenge our habitual ways of thinking," Davis notes. He believes that if more people engaged with poetry and practiced reflecting on meaning, "it would enhance their ability to think more dynamically, embracing surprise and fostering change."
Engaging with literary ideas influences the brain in distinct and measurable ways.
Fogline Studio/Getty ImagesEmily Dickinson penned a poem about the brain, frequently cited by neuroscientists, as highlighted by Evan Thompson in a 2015 Psychology Today article.
