Lyrics vs. Poetry

I view poems as essentially the lyrics to a song. 

The song may be written with music backing it or but it may also be the music has yet to be played. 

Poetry is really just words being strung together eloquently enough that they stir an emotional response in a desired audience. 

Therefore, I doubt there can be a Universal poetry, because I doubt there is something that can speak to everyone equally.

But try thinking about a song with words.  Any song at all.  From Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star to 'Sweet Child of Mine' by Guns 'N' Roses, 'The Race' by Whiz Khalifa to 'Stronger' by Kelly Clarkson.  Within their own fans, regardless if you yourself are a fan or not, they certainly appear to speak to their audience and galvanize an emotional experience, whether that emotion be sorrow, hate, love, happiness, and anything in between. 

Watch a concert by the Rolling Stones or Dave Matthews or Florence+The Machine.  Watch the reactions within the crowd.  

Watch Lil Wayne, or Jay-Z or Kanye, or Wale.  And then watch the crowd.

Watch Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, or the Foo Fighters.  It's the same with them too.

You'll watch a crowd sing along, but not sing along just because they know the words....But because they feel them too.

Perhaps it takes the music, the heavy banging of drums, raging electric guitars, or beats of whatever musical device you like to give the words more of a form, be it masculine or feminine. 

But the words are what really carry the weight.  It's the words that really 'speak to us'.

Michael Jackson in 'Man in The Mirror'

Tupac Shakur in 'Changes'

Green Day 'Jesus Of Suburbia'

The list could go on forever.

Now I grant you, in all of these cases it probably takes the musical backing as well to help show the words.  But in the end it will be the words that we find most memorable.

Poetry can be sexual

Poetry can be romantic

This is possibly the most common view of poetry, since we've all heard of the story of some dude trying to send poems to some chick and then either a) The girl finding this sweet, or b) Corny as shit

But poetry can also be political

Confrontational

Angry

Symbolic

Intelligent

And in this way poetry is more diverse and dynamic than many other mediums.  For your only limitations are your own language.

There are other ways to think of poetry, I don't think this is the only way, but this is the way that I predominantly view that art form.

P.S.
Speaking of song lyrics that may qualify as Poetry.  Try out 'These Days' by the Foo Fighters.  You can download the video for free today (2/6) on Itunes.