[This is a comment our wise Great Scot left in response to my blog entry "The First Poet" (below). It's too good to get overlooked, so I'm taking the liberty of lifting it out of mere comment status and elevating it to entry status. BTW, you so totally rock, Great Scot. ;-) -- The Queen]
Great Scot said:
"I will first mention that I am not a huge fan of reading poetry, whether it be epic, classical, or more modern in style; however, that being said, the ability to understand and decipher poetry will be of assistance in higher education and within multiple career paths.
"In unlocking the message of a poetic piece of writing, you are forced to use analytical skills to go beyond the mere written work. In a piece of prose, regardless of its complexity, all of the required information to understand the point is plainly placed before you. In poetry, such is not the case. You are often required to read the words, and then place them in the context of the mood and style of the piece to determine the point of the author. In my view, humans think in a prose-like manner. The ability to mentally comprehend and translate poetry to mental prose will serve you well in future endeavors.
"As an example, this ability to go beyond the mere written word to determine the intent of the piece, is critically important for surviving law school or to be successful in the practice of law. It is a rare event, in the practice of law, or likely in any career, that all of the facts that are relevant to an issue are laid before you in a nice tidy package. Instead, you must take the information that is provided and analyze and interpret the information to find meaning. This is the same process that is developed by analyzing and interpreting poetry.
"On a more pragmatic basis, in advocacy writing, whether in the form of briefs to a Court or in letters and memos to business associates, having a more rounded literary background will make your writing style more interesting, and thus, more persuasive."
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6 comments:
You so totally rock, dude.
:-)
I agree with Great Scot's 'opining,' but there is something I would like to add from the standpoint of someone who reads, enjoys, and occasionaly writes poetry.
I stayed up way too late last night rereading some of my favorite chapters in the New Testament, and I was struck by how much love and joy is expressed in it, especially in letters such as Ephesians and 1st John. All this ties in with something I have been thinking (and posting) about lately-- that Christians are joyful. I think poetry is one of the best ways for expressing joy, especially through song. Poetry, to loosely quote William Blake, takes familiar objects and mades them strange, to show the beauty in them. Many times in the process of writing or reading a poem I have seen more and more joy in God's creation, and that is reason enough to read it!
It's a pity that poetry has so often been used to express sorrow and discontent. This is so prevalent among modern music and poetry today that sometimes I can even get annoyed listening to Alison Kraus (gasp!) because so many of the songs she sings, althoug well written and flawlessly performed, are mopey songs. Can't these people just get happy for a change? :-) This is a trend that glorifies sorrow above joy, and Christain poets and musicians need to resist it. A good example of this is George Herbert-- he wrote about sorrowful things occasionaly, but always brought them back around to God's grace and mercy.
Yes, it's me again. :-) I just wanted to make clear something that, looking on my last comment, I realise I didn't word very well.
There are many songs in our hymnbooks that deal with sorrowful times in the Christian life-- these songs are important and have their place. In my comment I was *not* trying to say that every song should be all happy happy joy joy, but that songs dealing with sorrow should avoid the whining so common in pop music and should express patience, trust, and faith in the providence and mercy of God. Compare your average 'My boyfriend dosn't love me' type country or rock song with some of the hymns dealing with sorrow and you'll see what I mean. :-)
[Long]
"It's a pity that poetry has so often been used to express sorrow and discontent. This is so prevalent among modern music and poetry today..."
Enjoying this discussion that Queen She- and the Scot have introduced. Dear to my heart. The subject, that is. (Well, they are too. ;-))
Fa-sol-la-la’s comment above prompts my comments.
We poetry lovers revere our poetry not only for all the exalted reasons inherent in the form, but because our favorites speak to us; they *move* us, and thereby become "ours" forever. And let's face it, when you've put out the effort to dig for buried treasure (ref: G.Scot's post on Pragmatic Benefits), the jewel might have more personal value than when it is handed to you on a platter.
(All "darkside" probably needs is a skillful teacher to show him how to use a shovel and help him experience the thrill of the dig. All the persuasions and lectures in the world can't take the place of self-discovery. But hey, se la vie! Not everyone *has to* love poetry.)
[Back to fa-so-la-la. This is so long, you might be the only one that reads this. –grin] I’m thinking out loud here, and maybe you’ll agree: Consider that Poetry is unique, but utilitarian at the same time. Poetry is simply a form, and it is useful to express every possible human emotion, even the indefensible ones ;-) e.g. discontent, anger, depression, and of course, sorrow. Poetry “is”, just like Food “is”. It is the variety in food that gives the most pleasure. We would soon sicken of eating only sweet foods.
You've already noted exquisite expressions of sorrow in the poetry of many old hymns, but even when we encounter less-than-joyful, humanistic poetry that has been written with skill and sensitivity, we can acknowledge the value and beauty in its craftsmanship. That's when your good old Schaefferian worldview comes in handy. We can evaluate the art (word used broadly here)---and appreciate the skill--- as we simultaneously see a testimony to God’s creative nature imparted to man (the just and the unjust alike), even while we know of that man's emptiness without God. (Hmmm, think Mozart, Monet; lots of others.) Aha--How I love it! A Most Ingenious Paradox!
[This whole thing gets into fascinating and thought-provoking discussion we have around our house occasionally: the nature of creativity and talent and skill, respectively, and how they relate to the nature of God and the fact that God created man in His image…and yet man is responsible to use them…’nall that. It gets lively, I can tell you.]
Now back to your comment, “it’s a pity when”…. To my mind these are two real pities: #1 When poetry is thought of as being such a highbrow form of communication that it is not even approached by people who would otherwise be enriched by it. If that is their reason for not liking it, it’s a pity.
The fact is, good poetry is the jewel that can be "owned" (treasured) and "worn" (memorized; quoted; enjoyed) by even the poorest of mortals, and can adorn the mind and soul of the simple man as well as the intellectual elite.
#2 (and I think perhaps this is your real beef) When poetry, from whatever era, is used poorly, without craft or skill, it’s a pity. As you have noted, this is endemic among the Modernists. (No doubt your mother has shared with you our favorite lame, Modernist "poets" of the 70's. :-/ ) In the same sense, food isn’t good just because someone cooked it. As a lover of *good* food, I am...(ahem) disheartened when someone goes to all the effort to cook a meal and it comes to the table tasting flat and mediocre, lacking nuance and flavor.
All these unsolicited comments about food and poetry can’t help but incriminate me as some sort of highbrow-snooty-face. Ah well, words, for all their utility, have limitations. To know me is to know that I adore Jack-in-the-Box tacos, George’s hamburgers (local), and the forbidden Oreo, though I don’t actually consider these delicacies as contradictions to the statements above.
And hey, I love a good limerick (though perhaps not with the fervor that my esteemed father-in-law loves a good limerick.) A toast to the well-rounded life!
G.Scott,
Ah, limericks. You just have to love 'em. Kinda like Jack in the Box tacos.
Simply must share one of my esteemed father-in-law's favorites:
There once was a man from Japan
Who wrote verses that no one could scan.
When asked why the thing doesn't go with a swing,
He said, "Well, I always try to put as many syllables into the last line as I possibly can."
Auntie mess o' greens, I LOVE IT!
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