wtorek, 24 grudnia 2013

Poems Of Emotion Tell Our History

By Harriett Crosby


A case can be made that emotional stimulus is at the root of all poetry, and poems of emotion are all that there are. Whether the subject is life, physical love, spiritual connection with a deity or another human being, or war, people have always tried to immortalize events in words, both spoken or written.

Religions of the world have given us great poetry. From the Bible to Greek mythology, man's relation to the divine has been a part of his culture. The biblical Song of Moses, the Song of Solomon, and the psalms of David speak of awe, thanksgiving, petition, and praise for the God of Israel. Mythology told stories of the gods and their influence on and interaction with mankind.

Epic poems were passed orally from one generation to the next. Many were eventually recorded in writing, but more were undoubtedly lost. All people groups have origin stories, tales of heroic deeds, and stories of extraordinary events from their past, and more often than not these are poetic in nature.

Poetry helps us by making great events or even fleeting things memorable. All of us know some poetry, no matter how hard we try to avoid the subject. Everyone knows that the words 'No man is an island' come from some poem or other; no one would try to pass that phrase off as original. 'To be or not to be' is another phrase that resonates down the ages, whether it is on stage or as a playground joke.

This is why poetry is part of education. We remember important events that have been made the subject of a famous poem, even if we forget dates and other pertinent data. When our emotions are stirred, we remember that Abraham Lincoln was president during the Civil War or that Paul Revere was an American patriot.

Love poems have special significance because almost everyone has his or her own love story. Poets have always known that new love, tragically unrequited love, enduring love, and even love between man and his best friend the dog make popular subjects. The best poetry brings love alive to its readers in a way that they may never have seen it before. The perfect expression of emotion is one of the poet's highest gifts to mankind.

In earlier days, people who had any leisure at all had time for poetry. It was a way to pass the time on a sunny afternoon or by the fireside on a long winter's evening. Now people spend those hours at the computer or in front of the television. However, poetry is still being written and can still enrich our lives, if we allow it a part of our time and attention.

Human feelings give rise to poems of emotion, which in turn help people express and understand those feelings. Poetry stirs the heart, fires the imagination, and broadens the mind. It is an art form that requires inspiration, skill, and discipline, and the best examples of it attain immortality.




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