Is poetry a social act rather than an isolated object? Is poetry meant to be shared with others, or meant for the individual?
Personally I can think of examples that would justify both of these statements. Poetry itself is almost impossible to define but to describe a poem, as a “social act” or an “isolated object” doesn’t necessarily mean that the next poem is. There are however cases that would suggest that poetry does indeed lean more towards the “social act” description allotted by this particular essay-title.
One point that arose during a discussion with a fellow student concerning this question was that poetry itself originated from song: the medium of song itself being a very social form of expression so logically poetry is also a social form of expression. I personally agree with this point and firmly believe that the origins of poetry do lie in the social act of singing. But one of the most unique, fascinating and potent qualities of poetry (of which there are a few) is its state of flux, it is constantly changing and re-inventing itself so to think of poetry as a mere derivative or deviation of song is to miss the point of poetry entirely.
One prominent social re-invention of poetry that comes to mind is that of the “Beat Movement”. The "Beat Movement" in modern literature has become an important period in the history of literature and society in America in particular but also around the world. Incorporating influences such as jazz, art, literature, philosophy and religion, the beat writers created a new and prophetic vision of modern life and changed the way a generation of people see/saw the world. One of the most important contributions to contemporary verse was to take poetry out of the classrooms and into non-academic setting coffee houses, jazz clubs, large public auditoriums and even athletic stadiums making it an even more social act/form of expression. Poetry is more popular and more read at this time than anytime in previous history, not only spoken poetry but also sung poetry of a high order, reminiscent of poetries origins. Keeping this further socialisation of poetry in mind I would also like to stress the point that although poetry was in its most social environment yet the emphasis was firmly on the individual and their individual poetry, attempting to isolate their poetry from all previously heard. So in the ideal situation although the act would be social, the object would be isolated.
Poetry, is a literal writing where any human being can express themselves, feelings, or anything they desire. Some of them even write poems that touches us so much that we could almost feel and know what their going through. Audre Lorde, a professional and amazing writer, was a great example of that. She wrote about her experiences with cancer, black issues, and how attacks on being a lesbian was a black issue. There were reasons for that.
Writing poetry can be a long and relentless task. There are several points that may arouse concerns when an author writes poems. One of those concerns would be criticism. In the world of literary arts, criticism can be found everywhere. The individual does not have to be a scholar, in order to be a critic. Critics surround authors in many different directions, and they are among a diverse group. These facts alone would be a reason for authors to be very skeptical of their works. Moreover, that reason alone would cause an author to be very protective of the use of such works. Authors tend to have concerns about cultural views as well. Culture values were at a very high peak during Anne Bradstreet’s time. Those specific concerns can very easily peak an author’s insecurities. Anne Bradstreet exemplified insecure thoughts towards her poetry because of society and the culture of the 1600s. Bradstreet’s insecurities made her a target among the male writers. During her time, women were not common
“One merit of poetry few persons will deny: it says more and in fewer words than prose.” Said by Voltaire can describe the two poems, Seventeen by Andrew Hudgins and Traveling through the Dark by William Stafford. Both poems are written in a prose fashion but mean so much more than the written words. At a glance, the poems both seem to be about the tragic deaths of animals; however, the poems differ in their themes of growing up in Seventeen and the intermixing of technology with man and nature in Traveling through the Dark.
Over the decades, art has been used as a weapon against the callousness of various social constructs - it has been used to challenge authority, to counter ideologies, to get a message across and to make a difference. In the same way, classical poetry and literature written by minds belonging to a different time, a different place and a different community have somehow found a way to transcend the boundaries set by time and space and have been carried through the ages to somehow seep into contemporary times and shape our society in ways we cannot fathom.
Poetry is more than just a correlation of words; poetry contains power. Poetry works by sculpting the English language in such a way that it produces sound, while endeavoring to recreate experiences. I really grasped this concept when we read Dulcem Et Decorum Est, by Wilfred Owen. Among other things, this poem contains haunting imagery, and a rhythm that produces the sound of being in the trenches. While reading this poem, Wilfred Owen’s words made me fearful and paranoid. The slightest sound could hold my attention. I also noticed how silent the room felt after we finished the poem. We were all struck and disturbed by the old phrase Dulcem Et Decorum Est.
“I dwell in Possibility-- / A fairer House than Prose . . .” (Dickinson) Poetry in its most basic form predates literacy. In fact, poetry was first utilized as a technique to assist in keeping an oral record of things like history, stories, genealogy and in some cases, even law. Most people have come to believe that poetry was so widely used due to the fact that it was far easier to memorize then prose, and during the time of texts like the Odyssey, oral recitation was the number one way of relaying information from one individual to another. So it is needless to note that poetry has undergone a lot of changes over the course of history. With the oldest surviving poem being the Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor, dated around 4500 B.C.E, and the most recent being typed out on someone’s laptop right now, it is no wonder that things have had to shift. Each and every poet has their own opinions on poetry, what it is as well as what it means. These ideas all vary, pulling their definitions from the modern world as well as the historical world. Three poets have managed a nearly impossible task of defining poetry through example, Wallace Stevens in His Text Of Modern Poetry, Archibald MacLeish in His Text Ars Poetica And Marianne Moore in Her Text Poetry.
is similar to the feelings in her heart. In the same way that there is
Poetry is literary work in which special intensity is given to the expression of feeling and ideas, by the distinctive style and myth. It relies on different devices such as assonance, themes and even the tone to be successful. Even though many poems seems to be different, in some way they have similarities. American poet Natasha Trethewey, used many of her own personal experiences while writing poetry. Her mother was an African American woman and her father was a Canadian emigrant.
Empathy is one major reason. In this current day and age, it seems more and more like we are unable to feel more for the plights and experiences others go through. Poetry itself is an expression of experiences that occur in all the different parts of the human experience and one could learn much from the experiences written from someone who different from them. The poems written during the Harlem Renaissance articulates the perspectives and feelings that African Americans were experiencing during that time and that we are still seeing some of today. One could read poems from these times and really consider what the author is trying to say and could possibly find themselves a bit empathetic towards
Also, poetry allows authors to take different approaches to show the same theme. Garrett Hongo and Marcy Piercy use poetry to express the same message, that a person with the identity of a minority cannot achieve the American Dream,
Poetry is very difficult to interpret because everybody has a different approach, understand, meaning and point of view. My next writer is an African Americans whose poem is” Black Art” by Amiri Baraka “Black Art”. In the poem “ Black Art “, the poem is dedicated to African American to wake up and reverse the situation , by taking control over everything . The author urges the audience to be conscious and unconscious about African-American. Amiri is saying I need to see all the hardworking of the African American not just word but reality, proof, demonstration, and action been taking. In addition, in a poem the author express his anger; frustration to the audience how he feels and the action need take
Plato and Sidney had some of the same ideas but yet different ideas for poetry at the same time. They may not have the same ideas because of the times that they each lived in. If you think about it, Plato’s time of living was 427-347 B.C. and Sidney lived in the 1500’s. Therefore, each philosopher had a different view of poetry and what it could possible do for their community. Neither one is right nor wrong but, if we, as people, took both of their perceptions to heart, we would probably live in a world that wasn’t so tainted and corruptive.
In conclusion, I feel poets mainly write poems to express feelings, thoughts, and messages to the world. It’s an easy approach for them to use this writing technique as a way to articulate different aspects which could be improved in this world. I think what attracts people to poetry is writing which relates to each person in their everyday life no matter how it could be portrayed by. For some people poetry could be a relaxing thing or it could be something which cheers someone up, but people look to poetry to get a deeper thinking in life rather than a simpler thinking. This is clearly evident through authors, William Wordsworth and William Blake, and their poems “The World is too Much with Us” and “The Tyger.” Both poems related to one another one way or another, and they depicted different messages and themes which do relate to real life situations.
During Wordsworth time as a poet he made it his mission to have poetry be read by not only the aristocrats but also now the common man something that has never been done. In both poems Wordsworth makes his poems relatable by incorporating themes that everyone can relate to even if they haven’t personally had that experience, although both poems do differ when it comes down to structure and form but also when trying to convey a message, these poems are important because these ideas have never been done before and now even the average Joe can finally participate in a conversation about poetry and this brings two world together.