Write a 250 word response on:
“Why Poetry Is or Is Not Relevant or Useful Today.”
Deadline: March 25
Your short essay should synthesize material from each of the sources provided: (1) King Lear, (2) William Carlos Williams, (3) Sir Philip Sidney.
Quotations should flow seamlessly into the surrounding material -- that is, if one were listening to your essay being read, the listener would hardly be able to distinguish where your material ended and the quoted material began.
At least some material from each quote must be used verbatim and placed inside quotation marks. You may paraphrase other sections of the material of necessary. See your textbook for footnotes accompanying Lear and Sir Philip Sidney.
From Shakespeare’s Tragedy, King Lear
Explanatory Note: After dividing up his inheritance between his two daughters, Goneril and Regan, King Lear decides to visit them. The ungrateful daughters, however, are worried about their father’s whims and about the fact he continues to keep a retinue of 100 knights and their squires. They argue with him to get him to reduce his retinue.
REGAN
I dare avouch it, sir: what, fifty followers?Is it not well? What should you need of more?Yea, or so many, sith that both charge and dangerSpeak ’gainst so great a number? How, in one house,Should many people, under two commands,Hold amity? ’Tis hard; almost impossible.
GONERIL
Why might not you, my lord, receive attendanceFrom those that she calls servants or from mine?
REGAN
Why not, my lord? If then they chanced to slack you,We could control them. If you will come to me,--For now I spy a danger,--I entreat youTo bring but five and twenty: to no moreWill I give place or notice.
[break]
REGAN
What need one?
KING LEAR
O, reason not the need: our basest beggarsAre in the poorest thing superfluous:Allow not nature more than nature needs,Man’s life’s as cheap as beast’s: thou art a lady;If only to go warm were gorgeous,Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear’st,Which scarcely keeps thee warm. But, for true need,--You heavens, give me that patience, patience I need!You see me here, you gods, a poor old man,As full of grief as age; wretched in both!If it be you that stir these daughters’ heartsAgainst their father, fool me not so muchTo bear it tamely; touch me with noble anger,And let not women’s weapons, water-drops,Stain my man’s cheeks! No, you unnatural hags,I will have such revenges on you both,That all the world shall--I will do such things,--What they are, yet I know not: but they shall beThe terrors of the earth. You think I’ll weepNo, I’ll not weep:I have full cause of weeping; but this heartShall break into a hundred thousand flaws,Or ere I’ll weep. O fool, I shall go mad!
Sir Philip Sidney
From The Defense of Poesy
[the LESSONS OF HORSEMANSHIP]
When the right virtuous Edward Wotton and I were at the Emperor’s court together, we gave ourselves to learn horsemanship of John Pietro Pugliano, one that with great commendation had the place of an esquire in his stable. And he, according to the fertileness of the Italian wit, did not only afford us the demonstration of his practice but sought to enrich our minds with the contemplations therein which he thought most precious. But with none I remember mine ears were at any time more loaden, than when (either angered with slow payment, or moved with our learner-like admiration) he exercised his speech in the praise of his faculty. He said soldiers were the noblest estate of mankind, and horsemen the noblest of soldiers. He said they were the masters of war and ornaments of peace, speedy goers and strong abiders, triumphers both in camps and courts. Nay, to so unbelieved a point he proceeded, as that no earthly thing bred such wonder to a prince as to be a good horseman. Skill of government was but a pedanteria in comparison. Then would he add certain praises, by telling what a peerless beast the horse was, the only serviceable courtier without flattery, the beast of most beauty, faithfulness, courage, and such more, that if I had not been a piece of a logician before I came to him I think he would have persuaded me to have wished myself a horse. But thus much at least with his no few words he drave into me, that self-love is better than any gilding to make that seem gorgeous wherein ourselves be parties. Wherein, if Pugliano’s strong affection and weak arguments will not satisfy you, I will give you a nearer example of myself, who (I know not by what mischance) in these my not old years and idlest times having slipped into the title of a poet, am provoked to say something unto you in the defense of that my unelected vocation, which if I handle with more good will than good reasons, bear with me, since the scholar is to be pardoned that followeth the steps of his master. And yet I must say that, as I have just cause to make a pitiful defense of poor poetry, which from almost the highest estimation of learning is fallen to be the laughingstock of children, so have I need to bring some more available proofs; since the former is by no man barred of his deserved credit, the silly latter hath had even the names of philosophers used to the defacing of it, with great danger of civil war among the Muses.
From “Asphodel, That Greeny Flower”
William Carlos Williams
My heart rouses
thinking to bring you news
of something
that concerns you
and concerns many men. Look at
what passes for the new.
You will not find it there but in
despised poems.
It is difficult
to get the news from poems
yet men die miserably every day
for lack
of what is found there.
Hear me out
for I too am concerned
and every man
who wants to die at peace in his bed
besides.
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Owen Bradley
ReplyDeletePoetry is Useless: Part II
Poetry is unnecessary to present society. It serves no need and it creates little financial gain. William Carlos Williams writes “my heart rouses thinking to bring you news of something”. Entertainment such as poetry makes a heart beat faster, but it does not keep the heart beating. This meaning that poems may make one happier, but they do not put food on the table or money in the pocket. It is hysterical to say that “men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there”; the human race could be equally productive and successful today without poetry. A cute rhyme and a deep meaning create a more profound insight on life, but one can live without the hassle of deciphering a so-called good piece of literature. People who call themselves poets are often self-proclaimed intellectuals that don’t know the first thing about living in the real world. They are lazy, unproductive, and give themselves a label of importance so they can look down on the “little people”. Sidney writes of himself as someone “who (I know not by what mischance) in these my not old years and idlest times having slipped into the title of a poet”. At least John Pietro Pugliano provided a useful and essential service to his society through his horses. Sure interesting tales of tragedy, greed, and betrayal make an exciting read and can teach important life lessons, but family and society are what shape a people’s moral values. Poetry will always be a place where a poet can cry about how “this heart shall break into a hundred thousand flaws, or ere I’ll weep. O fool, I shall go mad!”
Poetry: Useful to some, Garbage to others
ReplyDeleteI understand that most people, when asked about poetry, are either on one side of the fence or the other. There are few people who are neutral about the subject, and personalities and lifestyles usually give away an answer before a reply is even uttered. A person who thinks with their heart or reads often is more inclined to be a fan of poetry whereas a person who is headstrong and physically-oriented typically isn’t. Sir Philip Sidney said about poetry: “..which from almost the highest estimation of learning is fallen to be the laughingstock of children..” By this he recognizes that poetry is not universally accepted as a past-time of the intelligent, but rather loved and cared for by a select group. In this group is the famous poet William Carlos Williams who also mentioned this subject in his prose: “It is difficult to get the news from poems yet men die miserably every day for lack of what’s found there.” He is clearly stating that there are two kinds of people in the world; those who enjoy and appreciate poetry, and those who don’t. When I finish reading an eloquently written poem, the feelings of satisfaction and personal enrichment envelop my soul and this is called self-growth. I do not think the issue of poetry being useful or not is a relevant question, but rather why do those of us who appreciate great literature worry about what others are missing out on?
The relevance of poetry depends on the person and the definition. Everyone is different and can interpret completely different meanings from the same set of words, especially when written in a pattern that doesn’t fit with normal speech. Poetry, like the Bible, is used to teach us. The Bible is irrelevant to some people because it was written on ancient terms, but to others it’s the most important book ever written and contains the most important life lessons and teachings. The relevance also depends on your definition on ‘poetry’. If you think of music as poetry then it’s one of the most mainstream arts today, and at the same time the most diverse. On the other hand poetry in its most raw sense, is somewhat different than poetry in music and could be considered almost forgotten. Both use structured rhythm, along with rhyming, alliteration, and other literary tools to create a certain sound; a certain mood, or tone. So why is the original literary sense of poetry not as relevant today? Poetry may be hard to understand and if I were to spend time writing my deepest, most concerning thoughts, it may not be in the most eloquent way. Most of us are just trying to get our point across to the most people. Communication has changed, so has poetry; with the internet, blogs, and worldwide communication, we feel the need to speak to the masses. We don’t want to be misinterpreted and immediately analyzed, criticized, or critiqued down to the bone the way we analyze Sir Sidney, William Shakespeare, or other great authors. When we live in a world of immediate-gratification, we tend to look over things that take time and effort.
ReplyDeletePoetry, the other, other entertainment.
ReplyDeletePoetry has lost its luster as a form of entertainment over the years. Poetry outlasted many other forms of entertainment yet seems to finally be dieing down in popularity. To bring back poetry in todays age where other forms of entertainment are so abundant, “’Tis hard; almost impossible”. Yet poetry still stands today but not as it once did through things like the internet and other forms of long distance communication this has opened the door to a lot of people to read and listen to poetry. This has both helped and hurt the growth of poetry in today's time some people write poetry and don't put any effort in to it and think it's a great work, but if they “handle with more good will than good reasons” then many people can create great works of art. “It is difficult to get the news from poems” but if people begin to support it then it will thrive as one of the longest lasting forms of entertainment.
To me, the form of art is irrelevant. The message it attempts to portray is far more significant than the process it uses to show it. Granted, a short poem could give the same moral that a full length movie could in several hours, but that doesn’t make either one superior to the other. In fact, a fuller text then a small poem might be even more persuasive to a point. In Sir Philip Sidney’s Lessons of Horsemanship, John Pugliano had: “By telling what a peerless beast the horse was… that if I had not been a piece of a logician before I came to him I think he would have persuaded me to have wished myself a horse.” Although there are likely countless poems as to the beauty of horses, Pugliano made his point “with his no few words.” It would not be difficult to imagine that he also spoke with strong emotion and gestures to emphasize his thought, something that a simple poem cannot do. However, the poem’s small size is part of its appeal. It is not undersized; being short and sometimes almost incomprehensible is the point. There is more to a good poem than what is on the surface. Poems, sculptures, novels, paintings, songs, and movies (and, someday soon, video games too) are all different forms of storytelling and portrayal of thought and morals. Each one has different processes of speaking, in a sense, and some people are just more receptive of some languages than others.
ReplyDeletePoetry relevant or not
ReplyDeleteIt is completely unnecessary to ask the price of creation done for soul gratification. We have become so lifeless we want the price of everything that we come across. Selfishness has a limit to cross and we are about to do that. Before explaining the Pros and Cons of poetry, we have to stop thinking what benefit it does us monetarily. Like I said earlier, not everything has a price tag and not everything is on sale.
William Carlos William famous quote “…men die miserably without it...” is completely relevant if we want to live our life at its best. No one disagrees the benefit of creative mind and not all the mind has to think of Aerodynamics or Super Computer. Synchronizing our mind with the nature and praising its beauty in rhyme is not something common although personal preference and modification are the tools of how we enjoy and what we enjoy. Sometime the satisfaction we achieve by writing a piece of poem is more than anything else, sometime it’s not. Nothing would explain more vividly than King Lear, the bad part of being greedy. Again, literature teaches us the moral value of life and we all know, human being without ethics is just dead alive. Another aspect of Poetry is its changing form. Not all the Poem has to be restated in a boring way like the conventional way. Music for instance is also a form of poetry that we all enjoy. In conclusion, poetry is a part of literature that undergoes a complete metamorphosis and lives with us in the form of Poem, music or pure piece of art.
The end of poetry as we know it?
ReplyDeleteHas poetry really come to an end? Have people stopped appreciating the importance of poetry and poems alike. Poetry, in my opinion, has lost its popularity among people in the world today. It seems as though around the age of Shakespeare poetry served as a means of entertainment and one of the only ways to be entertained. In today's society noone pays as much attention to it. As William Carlos Williams said in "Asphodel, That Greeny Flower", "It is difficult to get the news from poems, yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there." What I think he is trying to say is that poeple arent able to get a good lesson out of a poem anymore. In other words, it doesn't leave a profound impact. A very good story in our book is the story of King Lear by William Shakespeare. A quote that stands out from that story is, "O, reason not the need: Our basest beggars are in the poorest thing superfluous." Like I mentioned before in the days of Shakespeare people would be able to take something from that quote. Just one quote could teach them so much about the content of the story. That has since been lost in the world today. Cultures are always changing. New means of entertainment and technology are being developed. Only people who have an interest or taste in poetry pay attention to it. Most people seem to not care about it. Sir Phillip Sidney, a very great poet in the 1500s called poetry his "unelected vocation," and even went on to write stories titled, The Defense of Poesy and An Apology for Poetry in which he defended poetry. It seems as though Sir Phillip Sidney sought out to make everyone appreciate poetry and to convince them to read it as much as possible. It conclusion, I don't think poetry is dead yet, but the popularity is steadily increasing. Will it be able to stand the test of time for many years to come? You be the judge.
Title: Give Poetry a Chance!
ReplyDeleteDo people make time or care about poetry today is the question? We live in a society of text message and celebrities who would rather live through there cell phones and movie stars rather than sit down and read a book or read poetry for that matter. In Shakespeare's, King Leard, King Leard is dismayed by his daughter's bratty attitudes. They have the whole world and that still isn't enough for them. Just like in today's society we have everything at the push of a button, but that still isn't enough. We want more and when more isn't enough we still want more. Poetry is a way to get away from the grind of everyday life. It could be a hobby or just a time to relax. We don't appreciate that we have poetry all around us. We can see it everywhere if we just get off the damn cell phone long enough to see it. We are also in too big of a hurry to sit, read, and try to understand what we are reading. Sydney explains in "Lessons of Horsemanship" to enrich his mind about horsemanship, much like poetry is trying to enrich our minds, but we don't want to take time to enrich out minds with poetry, we would rather talk on the phone. Finally, William Carlos tells us how men are trying to find happiness and satisfaction if life. If we sit down by ourself, relax and open a book there are a world of opportunities right in fromt of our eyes in the form of poetry.. I think poetry is where ever you want it to be, in the bible or in a book or even in nature. We just need to slow down and find it.
Jessica Kiser
ReplyDeletePoetry has changed...
Poetry is no longer what it used to be. It used to be ruled by strict guidelines and be distiguishable from other forms of literature and entertainment. Alas, today it is changed into music, movies, and many other shapes and forms. "But, for true need" people still cannot live with out some form of poetry.
"You think I’ll weep No, I’ll not weep: I have full cause of weeping; but this heart Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws,Or ere I’ll weep. O fool, I shall go mad!" is how I feel people would respond to life without some form of poetry. I feel this way because most people cannot go throughout a whole day with out listening to some kind of music, or induldging in some other form of art or entertainment. People are always seeking "to enrich our minds with the contemplations" of others. They do this to identify with others or to feel identified with. The best example that I can think of is music, a person will always listen to music that matches their mood. Maybe your feeling down so you'll listen to an alternative band, or maybe your feeling calm so you'll listen to something down to earth. Most people's "heart rouses" with the type of poetry that they like to induldge in whether it be music, movies, or poetry in the classical sense. There is no longer "great danger of civil war among the Muses" because there is no need. People must learn to "Look at what passes for the new" in poetry to be able to keep it alive.
Alex Newton
ReplyDeleteIs Poetry Relevant in today’s society?
When the subject about poetry comes about some people are eager to talk about while others just want to change the subject really fast. Poetry is a very subjective subject to talk about. People whom love to read and write will always want to explore poetry even more; whereas the people who are not really any to that kind of stuff change the subject as soon as it comes up. Poets are hard to come by now like they were centuries ago. Shakespeare wrote many poems in his time, one such as King Lear. King Lear is one of those poems that one could read no matter how old it is. A good quote from King Lear is act 3.4 line 98 through 99“Why, thou wert better in thy grave than to answer with thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies .” People centuries ago could read and understand exactly what he was trying to say. With today’s time when reading this quote people have to read it more than one time just to understand what it is saying. Also, in today’s time kids are more preoccupied with video games and movies that they just do not have “time to read or understand poetry.” It is really hurting our kids in the long run. Kids are not learning like they used to, they just do not care about learning anything that is not interesting to them. Shakespeare is a very smart man but people are just not interested in reading any of his stuff anymore.
Culture is too Busy for Poetry- Faith Hall
ReplyDeletePoetry in the lives of everyday people is just pointless. Our culture is too busy to use poetry for the same purposes it was used in the past, such as information, entertainment, or spiritual insight. It does have significance when learning from it in the classroom and occasionally in the romantic sense. Other than that poetry doesn’t play an important role at all in our society today. William Carlos Williams writes
“It is difficult to get the news from poems.” We shouldn’t waste our time trying to break
down something so difficult for a small spiritual or emotional meaning.
It is not good in some aspects that our culture is so rushed. Trying to slow down our busy pace and dissect a piece of poetry is the last thing on most people's mind. Trying to simplify life is very hard in our society it is like being an alien to try to live simply, just as in Regan's dialogue to King Lear when he says "How in one house, Should many people, under two commands hold amity? 'Tis hard, nearly impossible. This is in reference to their being a power struggle in the kingdom, but it is just as hard today to live relaxed and plainly, in our complicated world.
There are some extremely important incites that poetry can give us, but not in its original formats it, takes too much time and energy to be useful to someone today. Just as in Sir Philip Sidney's Defense of Poesy, he suggested that poetry is "practiced to enrich our minds with the contemplations therein which he thought most precious." If someone could digest some of the most important aspects of good literature and make it readily accessible form for our generation, poetry would be found much more useful.
Poetry shows realism
ReplyDeletePoetry is not at all as popular as it once was...even the thought of reading seems too old fashioned and non-popular in our society. "And yet I must say that, as I have just cause to make a pitiful defense of poor poetry, which from almost the highest estimation of learning is fallen to be the laughingstock of children" I think in the same ways as Sir Philip Sidney...Poetry has fallen from it's worshiped pedestal to be tread upon. But poetry does many things for the mind. It can bring you from reality to a distance place that is free of pressure and worries...and it can also bring you TO reality and force you to realize the condition of the world, and the hard and cold truth. Poetry makes many happy, but it can also be overbearing to some people due to writers not being able to write intelligently. "It is difficult
to get the news from poems
yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there." A good example of how well poetry portrays emotions (without getting out of touch with reality) is this quote from King Lear: "I will have such revenges on you both,That all the world shall--I will do such things,--What they are, yet I know not: but they shall be The terrors of the earth."
Poetries Death in Today’s Society
ReplyDeleteIn today’s time period poetry serves no use to the common person. Centuries ago poetry was the main form of entertainment and used for passing along important stories and important information about events. However, today the internet and television serve that purpose and when people have free time from work that’s what they look to for entertainment. Not only has the reading of poetry fallen to the waist side but also reading in general. Not too many people, even intellectuals, bother with reading poetry because it is just one person’s opinion or imagination. Now in society people are only interested in “reality” and non-fictional works or the exact opposite works with the imaginary, fairy tale like stories. People don’t believe that poetry from one person’s beliefs or point of view in life will help them or serve them any good. Though in fact, many of today’s philosophies and sayings come from past poets writings such as those of Edgar Allen Poe and Robert Frost. Some poetry has even influenced the making of movies such as the movies Dante’s Inferno, Night Before Christmas, Mulan, Troy, and What Dreams May Come. Also, it has been shown in readings from poetry from centuries ago people are still making the same mistakes we make today. Perhaps if society would become a little more literate and make some time for reading we would realize that poetry can actually help and is still useful for “It is difficult
to get the news from poems yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there”.
Poetry’s Uselessness
ReplyDeleteAlong time ago poetry was popular and useful because no one could just grab the phone and tell a friend or someone that they love about their thoughts. They wrote it down and dramatically expressed their emotions with rhymes or whatever they felt like doing. Today poetry has no use because we can get on the telephone and we have things like Facebook and Myspace to express our emotions in the status bar. Today’s society constantly thrives for the new things in life. People today are innovators, they want to be involved in the up and coming, not the old and going. There is a great amount of respect earned by poets of different times but today’s poets are “wannabe’s”. It is very difficult to try and match the poetry that has already been written. Poets today don’t have original work or thoughts, after thousands of years of poetry, it’s quite possible that you just run out of things to be poetic about. In William Carlos Williams poem: “Asphodel, That Greeny Flower” he even mentions that the new things in life are not found in poetry. “My heart rouses thinking to bring you news of something that concerns you and concerns many men. Look at what passes for the new. You will not find it there but in despised poems.” Even Williams understands that poetry is not meant to be compared to what is going on today. Poetry is meant for us to read and try and understand what they were thinking and feeling at the time.
The Fall of Poetry
ReplyDelete“My heart rouses thinking to bring you news of something that concerns you and concerns many men.”-William Carlos Williams
It seems that poetry has become a thing of the past. In an age where efficiency and the bottom line rule, there is little room for the elegance of poetry. King Leer states “ allow not nature more than nature needs”. This seems to be the current day motto. We like to stick to the basics… the necessary. While self-expression is still present in some of the arts, the written beauty of poetry has all but vanished. It is true that musicians are considered the “ modern poets” of the age, but there are honestly very few musical artists who truly speak of anything worthwhile. The vanishing of poetry may well be one of the greatest losses to society. During this age, poetry definitely isn’t fashionable. Poetry, which as Sidney says, “ from almost the highest estimation of learning has fallen to be the laughingstock of children”. This is so unfortunate though. Poetry by definition is the art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts. Some may argue imagination and self-expression are not vital aspects to society. While they may not help one conquer nations, or cure the masses, what good is a world where human spirit and expression is stifled? This is what separates us from animals. It’s what makes us individuals.
A.W. Faris
ReplyDeleteO Horace, What Would you say? The Current State of Ars Poetica
Poetry taught me who I was, how to think about the world from the perspective of the authors I so dearly admire. If one takes care to look hard enough it is possible to see “imaginary gardens with real toads in them.” Meaning, with enough examination poetry provides the most vivid snap shots of what those writers were going through emotionally and philosophically at that time through imagination and words. I can turn through a page and know exactly how Shakespeare felt when he was going through a break up, or how William Blake felt about becoming older and jaded. This is the practicality of poetry, this is the “news that concerns you and concerns many men.” Granted poetry is not the most necessary thing in the world, this third planet would still spin on its axis and the musings and comings and goings of mankind would still continue despite poetry’s unmistakable beauty, truly “nature needs not, what thou gorgeous wear’st”. Nowadays we get to see the last semblances of our beloved verse in the hands of fools who parade and masquerade on stages singing manufactured songs about the shallowest regions of human emotions and identity. It is the epitome of “almost the highest estimation of learning is fallen to be the laughingstock of children”. Men may “die miserably every day for lack of what is found there” but nobody today seems to care, and it is unbearably damn depressing.
True like a best friend....
ReplyDeletePoetry, like all other art forms, has repetitiously been used by people to express their feelings and to better relate to one another. It is by observing other people’s art, poetry in this case, that we understand that we are not alone in our thoughts, experiences, and situations. Poetry reminds us that we are not the only person to ever grow weary or as “full of grief as age; both wretched in both!” Poetry allows others to inflict their thoughts and views on their peers. The poet has the power to “enrich our minds with the contemplations therein which he thought most precious.” Some of the greatest philosophy and logic can be found in poetry. People search various religions and practices looking for a connection to others but they “will not find it there but in despised poems.” Poetry is not near as popular as it has been in days gone by but it is extremely relevant in today’s society. The media has shifted people’s focus towards movies, books, and music which has greatly reduced the necessity and dependence that was once placed in poetry. Regardless of its decreasing popularity, poetry will always remain a resource available for us to rely on. There will always be a poem to suit each situation we encounter and if we cannot find one that is appropriate we have the luxury of creating our own. Poetry helps us to learn, to laugh, to cope, and to grow. Because of that poetry will always be timeless.
Who Says Poetry Has to be "Good" to Be Useful?
ReplyDeleteOne of the main arguments against poetry being relevant to modern times is that it is “useless;” implying that there is no value in writing or reading it. One poet, Williams summed up this sentiment with the statement “it is difficult to get the news from poems.” Another argument is that the quality of poetry has gone down the drain, making it irrelevant, trashy, or barely fitting the parameters to be considered poetry. As Sidney put it, “poor poetry, which from almost the highest estimation of learning is fallen to be the laughingstock of children.” These two arguments are certainly believable in many respects, but I believe that poetry is still useful and needed today regardless. Yes I believe, just like any other hobby, people could live without poetry. But technically people could live without anything as long as they are subsisting with food, water and minimal shelter…but that certainly doesn’t make for an enriched, rewarding life. Undeniably, joy in life comes from the things we can live without and usually that’s why we enjoy them in the first place. Poetry is just another example of such a thing. Writing poetry is useful because its an outlet for people’s emotions. A good example is young children who write poetry (or songs) to vent their frustrations and growing pains. Their poetry, though it may not be considered “good quality” to anyone else, is still good for them as a healthy way to express themselves and to develop as a person. Its also a way to show themselves and their thoughts to others; as Sidney put it, an individual may seek “to enrich our minds with the contemplation therein which he thought most precious.” Poetry is still relevant because its a way to express ourselves, develop our humanity, and learn about how other people think. That’s why its still relevant to “every man who wants to die at peace in his bed.”
Does poetry serve a purpose today?
ReplyDeleteThe answer to this question is as simple as disregarding all the other blogs posted about poetry being useless. And disregard them, please! For they have been wrought from “fools and worthless fellows” who aren't thinking of the consequences of their ramblings. Disregard them, and pardon me, for "the scholar is to be pardoned that followeth in the steps of his masters." I puke at the thought of a world where poetry and poets are ridiculed for seeking to say things in ways that haven't been said before. Wasn't it Hegel who said the poet does seek to say things in that way, and for that reason that the poet himself is the inventor of language? But what should we hear of Hegel who was merely a poet of philosophy, and a dullard like all other poets! HA! I vomit outright at the notion that anyone should shun the poet for feeling that words might give ease to the torture of existence. I hope that my anger is expressed and is not mistaken as sorrow or sadness, though perhaps I should, “I’ll not weep” though “I have a full cause of weeping.”
“Look at what passes for the new!” Now it is radio dribble and ad hoc materialism, justified through commonplace acceptance of a social norm. “You cannot get the news from poems” on the FM dial or idiot box. It is a disgusting world we live in where commercials pass for art.
250 words are up.
Read on if you like:)
In times such as these, these modern times, the poet isn't as revered as he once was. Labeled as dreamy-eyed and aimless, the poet doesn't find any respect aside from what is found in the classroom and that of other poets. Of course we hear on a daily basis the so-called poetry from these so-called artists marketing their muses like simple hapless prostitutes on our FM dials and idiot boxes, but honestly, can we call this commercialized, half-witted jive poetry? I should think not.
If Hegel is right and the poet is the inventor of language then it may be said that the poet is a giver of knowledge. In the times that we live in now we need poetry more than ever. It is the capitalist mentality that suppresses the intelligence of the people and the desire to seek that intelligence out. For as Plato said it is poetry and art that appeals to the peoples emotions rather than their intellect, and it is through these emotions that people become unpredictable and potentially a threat to the societal norm. So long as people are predictable they’ll buy whatever they’re told to, so why would the capitalists want anything other than to suppress real art and poetry. Poetry is their enemy. It serves a brilliant purpose and service to mankind. That purpose is furtherment of ones self, actualization of one's spirit, objectification of consciousness, it is one thing that man and woman creates from within, it is beauty and spirit and honesty and truth of knowing that we are all a part of everything concentrated and working towards the same unified goal of love.
Mainstream hip-hop music is their (the corporate idealists) dream come true. Can you not hear them all cackling? "We'll feed the masses this dribble and watch the poor fools buy and buy and buy and buy our cars and gold and designer sweat-shop-sewn clothing until they're completely broken and penniless but that wont matter because we'll use the same art to convince them to buy and distribute the drugs that we fly in from Afghanistan, while at the same time we'll keep the ghettos in constant supply of free cable T.V. and crack rocks:) Just look at these numbers! We can't lose! Their pockets are already packed with plastic and debt that they'll never escape from. It's just plain genius." And they snap their fingers at the thought. Just think about it. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that when you hear the names of cars and clothing in songs on the radio, you aren't listening to a song at all, but something incredibly different, a commercial. Imagine you're listening to your favorite new top ten hit on your favorite radio station and you find yourself singing the words (and I'm just pulling this out of the air) "I'm riding on twenties, drinking tanqueray, listening to P. Diddy, in my land cruiser...." Right? You just sang the words to four commercials. That's right! And if you don't see it, you're lying to yourself. You’re being brainwashed. You're deluded, you're lying, you're lying to yourself, you're digging your own grave, you're already dead, your pushing up the daisies, you're smiling and nodding your head to the rhythm of some idiot telling you that you've gotta come up out of the rut that you're in by buying guns and drugs and pimping women. If there's a hell, you'll go for that.
(I don’t want to sound like I’m just picking on hip-hop. I like some hip-hop. Mainstream rock and country are just as ignorant and mind numbing)
I know, I know, I know. I'm just as guilty. I pack my kitchen full of trinkets and gadgets and other pointless leisures while dreaming of a way to optimize my kitchen experience. How unforgivably selfish and piggish is that?
So here's our answer. Trade in your life of leisure for total rejection of capitalism. Burn your cars and houses and gather together in an isolated forest somewhere, and start a new society. Just like in Ayn Rand’s Anthem except with the total rejection of egoism and greed. Don't worry about it not working out we'll iron out the kinks as we go. We’ll need strong backs and idealistic minds. We’ll need carpenters and teachers, engineers, doctors, chemists and at least one martyr. We have nothing to lose but our chains, POETS OF THE WORLD UNITE!