Philosophy of Everything

What is Poetry itself?

I want to begin this book with a question that absorbed me after initiating to write. What is poetry itself? I am not talking about the many definitions of poetry, but what does it mean for something to be poetic in and of itself? In writing my first draft I asked myself: "Is there such thing as poetry?" And then I thought of an example. When we are young children our parents read us stories from books or poems out loud so they can share them with us. We sit rapt by their words, listening to tales that move us beyond ourselves into another world. It seems like magic when we hear these things come alive before us; even if we know that the story was written down long ago and has been passed on through generations. But why do people find certain stories more captivating than others? Why is one tale more poetic than another? Is it because some stories have elements of fantasy while other stories are factual accounts of real events? Or perhaps it is because a story is told by a parent who relates to her child, whereas another story might be told by a stranger who only knows he shares a kinship with you? Are stories ever truly universal? Do all human beings experience a similar affinity with stories no matter where they live in time or space?The answer seemed clear enough at first. Stories are universally appealing to humans because they exist in both worlds simultaneously—they transcend the mundane and touch upon the fantastic. In order to understand how this happens, though, I realized I needed to go back to basics. What exactly makes up the essence of a poem? Where does it reside? Is it contained within its meter, rhyme scheme, imagery, or subject matter? If each of those factors were removed from a poem would it still retain any power to move us emotionally? Would it still have meaning? Could it be considered poetry?It took me quite some time to reach a conclusion. As I began thinking about the nature of poetry, I remembered a conversation I had with my father years earlier. He mentioned that he never liked reading poetry unless it came accompanied by music. To him, the sounds of words and rhythm were just as important as the content of a poem. Even today he prefers his favorite poets to recite their works accompanied by piano or harp. When I pressed him further, asking if he preferred one poet over another based solely on the sound of the verse rather than the message being conveyed, he laughed and said yes. This surprised me greatly since I always assumed that literary criticism was strictly objective in determining which piece of literature was better suited for consumption. I remember wondering how anyone could possibly take pleasure in hearing someone else's work without appreciating it for what it was meant to be—a form of communication. My father's response was simple. He claimed that sometimes the most profound insights can be found in the simplest of songs. The reason he preferred to listen to poetry with music was because it made it easier to digest the lyrics. Music helps filter out extraneous thoughts so that he can focus solely on the meaning of the words. For him, it was almost akin to meditation. Only when his mind was free from distraction could he really appreciate poetry.I pondered this idea throughout my early drafts. How much of a role did music play in the way people experienced poetry? Was it merely a means of enhancing comprehension, or was it also a vehicle to convey emotions that otherwise might have remained unvoiced? And if the latter, was it possible that music actually influenced the development of poetry? Did it affect its creation and composition?As I continued writing, I realized that I wanted to compare the ways in which music affected poetry. I didn't think about it consciously, but instead I simply knew it was right. After all, I had spent a year studying musical theory and composing original compositions. So why couldn't I apply that knowledge to poetry? Why couldn't I explore the effects of music on the structure of language? If I could determine how certain types of music helped create specific forms of poetry, maybe I could make sense of how these various styles of song inspired different eras of poetry. I imagined a time when the same themes, metaphors, and images would be expressed differently through every medium available to man. Maybe it was only natural that a given era of art would find inspiration in a particular type of music. Perhaps the changes in music during a period of history had influenced the poetry of that time. By understanding how music affected poetry, I could see how the dynamic between music and poetry evolved over time. With this knowledge I would be able to analyze poetry from a historical perspective and thereby gain insight into its evolution. I would be able to trace the stages of change from one style of poetry to another.This was exciting! Not only did I now have an assignment to complete, but I was interested in discovering new perspectives on a field I already loved. I felt excited to learn something new about poetry and its relationship to music. I also hoped that by comparing poetry to other forms of artistic expression I could help readers better understand the significance of poetry. I wanted to prove to everyone that poetry is more than just a fancy way to express emotion; it is a valid method of communicating ideas and opinions. If I could show that poetry was not only capable of expressing meaning, but also inspiring and moving people, then perhaps the value of poetry would be recognized once again.

I also believed that by exploring the relationship between music and poetry I could explain why the study of poetry was deemed necessary. From ancient times until today, poetry has played a vital role in society. Yet very few people understand why poetry is so revered. Most people assume that it is merely a tool used to communicate feelings, but they fail to realize that poetry can also be used to teach, inspire, and persuade. Through poetry we can gain wisdom, discover truths, and grow spiritually. These qualities cannot be achieved through prose alone. Poetry provides a bridge between the everyday and the extraordinary. It allows us to see beyond ourselves and connect with others. Without poetry we would lose sight of what matters most. It's exiting,isn't it?