They say if you want to hear the truth about something, turn to the poets. Whether that’s a certain culture, a major event, or simply a time and a place: listen to the poets. And it’s not only about ‘truth’ – it’s about the core human experience that ties us all together. The experience that transcends the things that are usually seen as barriers.

This is even more relevant in our age of disinformation, mainstream media narratives, ‘post-truth politics’, and the complex quest for ‘free speech.’ Many stories in our feeds feel overwhelming, alarming, and often impossible to comprehend. The poetry that emerges from these stories – especially when experienced in real-time – allows us to begin to comprehend things on a deeper human level.

The 2020s are leading people to feel an increasing need for honesty, authenticity, and connection. Aside from questions of truth or believability, we live in an age of content overload. It’s all viral videos and clickbait articles. Again – there’s a need for something heartfelt and genuine.

Poetry is the language of so many worldviews and experiences. It’s still the art form we turn to when we feel that everyday conversation won’t suffice. It’s the art form we devour when our feelings don’t make sense. And it’s the art form we borrow when we want to convey our feelings but don’t feel capable: at weddings, funerals, proposals, and more.

I feel that a lot of these factors contribute to poetry’s rising popularity among younger generations. The bulk of my income as a full-time poet comes from visiting schools: particularly the ‘tweenager’ years. And I’m seeing poetry resonate much more than it did a decade ago.

Younger generations all have a voice through social media platforms, but it doesn’t lend itself to meaningful communication. It’s all ‘brain rot’ speak, memes, and crazes. Poetry, on the other hand, is the very opposite of that. It’s the purest form of expression and shines even brighter amongst other social media content.

Today’s ‘tweenagers’ are the first generation to grow up with these social media platforms as part of their everyday lives from birth. They’re also consuming culture completely differently from previous generations, with the ‘constant now’ phenomenon. To them, a new song is a new song – whether it was released yesterday or in 1965.

Therefore, it’s more difficult for younger generations to find genuine connections with what they see as ‘content.’ There’ll always be the latest crazes to latch onto. But genuine connection is harder to come by. And that’s why poetry plays such a vital role. I can’t imagine being unable to look back at my childhood and feel nostalgic for the music of the time.

We keep younger generations interested in poetry by showing them that it gives them a meaningful and powerful voice. It speaks to them and allows them to speak to others. It also allows them to communicate with us older generations in a meaningful way: whether that be poems on the climate crisis or the complexities of identity.

We remind them that poetry is a platform and a tool, rather than something to be analyzed and studied. And we show them the poetry that’s contemporary and fiercely relevant: the poetry that reflects their burning desires for self-expression. There only tends to be a tiny fragment of poetry that makes its way into classrooms. Our role as poets and poetry readers is to constantly expand what the younger generations are exposed to.

I wrote my first poem in the computer room at sixth form college when I was 17. And even then, I had no interest in traditional poetry: I was emulating the frontman of an indie band. Before long, my poetry led me to form my own musical duo that spawned a five year spell as a professional musician. I was a ‘street poet’ reciting rhymes over indie-pop instrumentals: this was not your traditional start to a poetry ‘career.’

Our act, Skint & Demoralised, initially called it a day after our third album was released in 2013. That summer, I saw Kae Tempest perform at Glastonbury and decided to return my focus to poetry. And I can’t imagine my life if I hadn’t made that decision.

Since becoming full-time in late 2015, I’ve toured the UK extensively and performed in Europe and the USA. I’m one of the UK’s leading facilitators of poetry in schools and have written poetry commissions for global organizations.

But aside from anything on my CV, poetry truly is my lifeline. It’s led to the most meaningful connections in my life – not least my phenomenal wife Maria Ferguson – and it helps me to navigate this bizarre existence.

Poetry can do so much more than we usually give it credit for. So, this World Poetry Day, see what it can do for you!