Does poetry matter? Today thousands of people will be celebrating World Poetry Day – but not everyone sees the point of capturing thoughts and feelings in wonderful language.
'The song of song and the spirit of spirit'
Does poetry matter? Today thousands of people will be celebrating World Poetry Day - but not everyone sees the point of capturing thoughts and feelings in wonderful language.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">Worthwhile words?</h2>
The crowd filling Manchester's Albert Square stood in silence. It was 23 May 2017, the day after the Manchester Arena bombing, and people had gathered to show sympathy and solidarityShowing support for others, particularly members of another group. . They listened as Tony Walsh started to read a poem.
"This is the place," he began, "In the North West of England...we make you feel welcome and we make summat happen, and we can't seem to help it..."
When he had finished, the onlookers burst into wild applause. A local newspaper called his poem "the perfect symbol of the pride, passion and defiance of Manchester's people".1
According to UNESCO, poetry "speaks to our common humanity" and is "a powerful catalystA substance able to increase the rate of a chemical reaction without itself being consumed or changed by the reacting chemicals. for dialogue and peace".
This is a boom time for poets, with some of them earning more than ever before. Rupi Kaur has earned £5.1m since her book milk & honey established the craze for Instapoetrya style of written poetry that emerged after the advent of social media, especially on Instagram in 2018.2
Here are some reasons why people value poetry:
Memory magic Because poetry is designed to be memorable, it is something you can carry in your head and turn to in times of crisis or boredom.
Sealing feelings Whatever you feel, think or wonder about most intensely, poetry expresses and captures, beautifully and memorably.
Chronicling culture Poets from the past help us to understand other ages and how our culture has developed.
Communicating consolation Poems show us that other people have faced the same situations and felt the same as we do.
Concentrated inspiration Poetry identifies the essence of things, reminding us of what really matters.
Community unity Poetry can bring people together, as it did in Manchester, marking important occasions, offering inspiration and calling to action.
The poet David Biespiel sums poetry up by calling it "the song of song, the language of language, the utterance of utterance and the spirit of spirit".
Does poetry matter?
Yes: It is the most intense of all art forms and captures the essence of life itself. Nothing else can fuse thought and feeling so beautifully and remind us so effectively what it is to be human.
No: The things that make the world go round are power, politics and money. Poetry is either an escape or a luxury for people who do not want to get involved in the nitty gritty of real life.
Or... It depends what you mean by poetry. According to publisher Neil Astley, "The literary value of many of these Insta poets is zero. This boom in their sales is about stuff pretending to be poetry."
Solidarity - Showing support for others, particularly members of another group.
Catalyst - A substance able to increase the rate of a chemical reaction without itself being consumed or changed by the reacting chemicals.
Instapoetry - a style of written poetry that emerged after the advent of social media, especially on Instagram
‘The song of song and the spirit of spirit’
Glossary
Solidarity - Showing support for others, particularly members of another group.
Catalyst - A substance able to increase the rate of a chemical reaction without itself being consumed or changed by the reacting chemicals.
Instapoetry - a style of written poetry that emerged after the advent of social media, especially on Instagram