Writing about poetry is much easier than writing poetry, In my opinion.  For me this is because I have a stronger ability to write analytical writing, and am less inclined to writing fiction.  To write poetry one needs a creative mind and the ability to conjure up imaginary or un-experienced phenomenon.  A certain knowledge of the english language, and ability to use vocabulary that sounds aesthetic and rhymes in a pleasing way is needed to write poetry in a way that is pleasing to read and to listen to.  In order to write about poetry it takes an entirely different skill set.  Namely the ability to think analytically about a text and to critically analyze it.  These are an entirely different set of skills it requires as a writer, than it takes in order write an aesthetically pleasing poem to read.

From this experience I learned that each writer has his or her own personal strengths and they need to take advantage of them and write what they are most comfortable with writing.  Not every writer is capable of being a George R.R. Martin or the next J.K. Rowling.  I personally am admittedly not a very capable fiction writer am much more fond of analytical writing, and there is nothing wrong with that.  If a student is an awesome all around writer that’s great, but if they prefer or are more talented at a certain writing discipline than they should pursue and strengthen whatever writing style and discipline they choose.