Superfluous: being more than is sufficient or required. It is an obsolete way of saying that something is unnecessary. Poetry, philosophy, the humanities, and the arts aren't necessary for survival, however, they are important to enjoying life and making sense of the world in which we live. Sometimes poetry is lovely, or dark and somber. Only the poet and her words can dictate the mood. Poetry, like any other art form, is integral to self-expression. If we're lucky, we can discover a little bit about ourselves through writing.