I must have been living in a cave, because until last week I had never heard of the “poetry” phenomenon known as “Instapoetry”. For those unaware as I was, here are some examples of it:
‘You deserve someone
who makes you feel
like sunshine
on a cloudy day.’
‘I am learning to let go
of the things
that no longer
serve me.
And it’s scary,
but I know
it’s necessary.’
‘Sometimes I think
I’m too much
for the world,
and other times,
I think
I’m not enough.’
Some well-known Instapoets include Rupi Kaur, whose books Milk and Honey and The Sun and Her Flowers have sold millions of copies worldwide. Atticus (a pen name) has published several books, including Love Her Wild and The Dark Between Stars. Charly Cox, whose texts explore self-love and mental health, and whose She Must Be Mad was a bestseller. Courtney Peppernell, who has a large following on Instagram, and is best known for her book Pillow Thoughts about heartbreak and healing. Nikita Gill, whose texts touch on themes of self-love and empowerment, and whose Your Soul is a River had a wide readership. And Cleo Wade, whose book Heart Talk: Poetic Wisdom for a Better Life has been highly praised.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the massive internet traffic on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, Instapoetry primarily attracts younger audiences who are drawn to its simplicity, accessibility and brevity. But does this popularity make Instapoetry, with its prose-like tendencies, repetitive themes, lack of ambiguity and linguistic plainness, poetry in any meaningful sense?
One of the most common criticisms of Instapoetry is its simplicity, which veers very close to banality. Written for scrolling and swiping, these quick-consumption “poems” rely on short lines and straightforward language, often resembling platitudinous motivational sayings found in self-help books. This focus on instant gratification sacrifices the complexity and depth that define poetry.
Unlike poetry, which invites readers into a dialogue, challenging them with layered meanings, intricate imagery and nuanced language, Instapoetry delivers single, surface-level ideas. This has left many critics questioning its staying power. A text that can be absorbed in seconds is unlikely to reward deeper contemplation or invite repeated readings.
Instapoetry’s success, as has been noted by some, owes much to its ability to resonate emotionally with its audience. But it could be said that this strength is also its Achilles’ heel. This commodification of emotion often results in a homogeneity of themes (love, heartbreak, self-empowerment etc.) that, while universally relatable, quickly becomes repetitive and stale. Perhaps the reason for this is that many Instapoets might be motivated by the commercial incentives of social media, and so write their texts to gain likes and shares rather than to explore language’s creative potential.
A defining characteristic of Instapoetry is its prose-like language, which often mimics conversational speech. Poetry, on the other hand, uses linguistic techniques—metaphor, allusion and ambiguity—to elevate language into something greater than the sum of its parts. Instapoetry, by contrast, shuns these devices in favour of straightforward statements, resulting in a limitation of poetic meanings. By presenting ideas in a literal, unambiguous manner, it leaves little room for interpretive engagement, denying readers the pleasure of discovering hidden meanings or creating their own narratives, which are arguably one of poetry’s greatest pleasures.
Some might argue that Instapoetry serves as a gateway to poetry. The idea being that readers charmed by its simplicity might then want to explore poetry. However, there is little evidence to suggest that this transition occurs on a meaningful scale. Instead, Instapoetry risks redefining what its readers think is poetry, normalising brevity, simplicity and emotional immediacy as being poetic.
This shift in expectations could have lasting repercussions for the broader poetic landscape. Emerging writers, seeing the commercial success of Instapoetry, might adopt its formulaic style. And publishers motivated by market trends, might champion these works at the expense of poetry.
Over time, the increasing prominence of Instapoetry might diminish public appreciation for poetry, as it could be perceived by the general public as the sole authentic form of poetic expression.
