I don't get it

I must confess that I don't understand the point of verses or quotes at the beginning of book chapters. I'm not against them, I just don't understand them. And I never really see how they connect to the following chapter. Are they supposed to set the mood? Give you a hint where things are going? I read them, and then re-read them after I've read the chapter and I'm still in the dark.

Perhaps this is tangentially connected to the fact that I also don't "get" poetry. Again, I have nothing against it, I just really don't understand it. I always have to call Ej for homework help whenever poetry is involved, and she's really good at that sort of thing.

You'd think that with all the reading I do I'd be able to feel a connection and understand poetry and pre-chapter verse more, but I confess it's all Greek to me.


Which is actually funny because I do understand some Greek words (thanks entirely to etymology and botanical names...definitely no conversational Greek!). So let's say it's all Chinese to me, because I don't think I even know how to count in Chinese.