I am not a poet. And though an English major in college, I often felt like I didn’t “get” the poems I was assigned. In the years since, I’ve come not just to appreciate poetry but to savor it. The trick, at least for me, is to slow down. I am accustomed to reading quickly and poetry stymies the impatient reader. The other key has been to stop trying to “figure out” the poem and instead let the words affect you, even wash over you, and then notice what happened when the waters recede. Moreover, I’ve learned a lot about language from poets – about how strict discipline, playful intentionality, and a willingness to risk odd...