Poetry does not matter to most people. They go about their business as usual, rarely consulting Shakespeare, Wordsworth, or Frost. One has to wonder if poetry has any place in the 21st century, when music videos and satellite television offer daunting competition for poems, which demand a good deal of attention and considerable analytic skills, as well as some knowledge of the traditions of poetry. Yet, the author believes that poetry can make a difference in the lives of readers. He asserts that life would be infinitely poorer without poetry, its music, its deep wisdom. Teachers and professors have long considered poetry a useful part of the curriculum, and one of the last places where poetry remains a central part of the culture is the classroom. In this article, the author discusses the significance of poetry in shaping the minds of readers in important ways. He describes how poetry has helped him live more concretely and deeply and how it has offered him ways to endure life.