What is poetry? Is it a means for communication or for expression?
There was a debate in my chambers about verse's subliminal impression
Is verse to be taken apart word and syllable, in a verbal autopsy?
Will any of its terse elegance remain after such severe travesty?
Gentler soul, intuition's origin, took an opposite stance for message
While grosser self, verse's origin, took defensive stance in haste
Any expression is also a form of communion stated the higher gender
Absence of dialog precludes communication argued Spirit's tender
Citing examples numerous each side prevailed to lose, in quick order
Time started flowing in disregard for physical laws, mere mind's fodder
Adam's rib bone was steadfast in views held steady over time's march
Earth's burden ceaselessly flowed on with opinions stiffer than starch
Finally Venus denizen emphasized that feelings mattered more due to care
And the snake done to death neednt be battered ever and anon till threadbare
Martian citizen searched for understanding and couldnt grasp the true issues
Until the time came to leave and in retrospect realized he had missed the cues
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2 comments:
I have no comment on this verse, but my comments on the verse Divine Mother, has been published under the haed Anonymous
This has reference to your composition entitled “ A Pyrrhic Victory”. Poetry, being an acknowledged form of literature, such as prose, essay etc, must certainly have, as its main purpose, the idea of communicating and sharing with its readers, the inspiration in the mind of the poet, that was originally responsible for its creation in the first place. The exercise need not always be educative, because sermonizing or evangelization is not the exclusive realm in which the poet normally operates. And no poet in history, has ever composed a masterly composition, for the sole purpose of gloating over it in solitude, as a miser would over his hoard of gold.
It is however true that the frenzied mind of the poet (as Shakespeare has described it), covers a vast canvas to portray his creation and it will need a mind that is equally endowed, to fully appreciate the sheer majesty of the poet’s output. Very often, less endowed minds may only be able to stand in awe, before the poet’s creation in stupefied and appreciative amazement, without being able to follow completely, all the subtle nuances that have gone into the making of the composition.
The poet while giving free rein to his imagination is, certainly entitled to take some liberties with both the grammar and the etymology of the language in which he creates, if not for any other reason, at least for the sake of rhyming and other such causes. This freedom has been acknowledged from time immemmorial, as “poetic license”.
However, when the legitimate license given to the poet is misused by him, for indulging in grandiose and incomprehensible verbosity, then the very purpose of his creation stands negated, because neither he , nor his readers will be able to benefit fully from the poet’s creative work.
I am in entire agreement with you when you say that the terse elegance of a masterly poetic creation will be lost entirely, if it is subjected to, what you have picturesquely described as verbal autopsy. Such an exercise will be akin to using a hammer and chisel, to unravel the intricate mechanism of an expensive and exquisite watch. However the poet can really claim that the purpose of his creation has been truly served, only when the average reader is able to comprehend, if not in its entirety, at least to a sizable extent what moved the poet when he first put his pen to paper, to create his work of art
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