Rhyme and verse! The youth resurgence of poetry

Poetry has always been a pure, earnest and powerful way for humans to express themselves.

And in 2026, as our lives are increasingly filled with generative responses, it may offer the ultimate form of AI resistance.

A recent UK study revealed that 24 per cent of people aged eight to 18 read poetry at least once a month, with 18 per cent writing their own prose in their free time.

So what's behind this surge of young people turning to this timeless form of expression?