It seems that researchers will use fMRIs (functional magnetic resonance imaging) for almost anything these days. Some of them decided to see how the human brain reacts to poetry.
Compared to ordinary speech and prose, poetry activates specific areas of the brain that recognize its rhymes and rhythms and contemplate its imagery and the multiple meanings of words and figurative language. That fits very nicely with the poems in our May issue on multiple meanings.
Does this help us to interpret our everyday reality? It appears that it does.
You can read a bit more about this on howstuffworks.com but here are two more takeaways.
The brain's reaction to poetry indicates a deep, intuitive connection to verse, suggesting that appreciation of poetry is within our neurological structure. We are built for poetry.
Reading or listening to poetry not only stimulates emotional and aesthetic responses but also enhances cognitive functions like flexible thinking and the capacity to understand complex, multiple meanings, which can be beneficial in everyday decision-making.
Poetry is good for you. I think poets already knew this, but some scientific evidence is still nice.
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