Final answer:
Abstract words evoke subjective ideas and emotions that are not physically measurable and differ from person to person. Poetry uses concrete images to represent these concepts, creating a more tangible experience for the reader.
Step-by-step explanation:
The images that a(n) abstract word creates differ from person to person and typically cannot be weighed, measured, held, photographed, tasted, sniffed, dropped, smashed, etc. Abstract words refer to ideas and concepts that exist in the mind rather than physical, sensory experiences. For example, words like happiness, love, and safe evoke different personal images and emotions that are subjective and not concrete. While we cannot touch these concepts, they significantly impact our emotional and mental states. Poetry often utilizes concrete images to evoke the sensory experiences associated with abstract concepts, allowing readers to connect more profoundly with the content.
Consider the difference between the abstract emotion of love and a poem that describes the act of washing a child with phrases like "warm water/Soap all over the smooth of his thighs and stomach." The latter gives a specific and tangible image that allows readers to engage their senses and feel the sentiment more deeply than if the abstract notion of love were used alone. Effective poetry tends to blend abstract and concrete imagery, transporting readers to the experience being conveyed.