Poetry, Poems & Poets … Oh My!
Why they Kick Ass
We all love words. Come on, admit it. You can’t do without them, right?
Words whispered in a moment of passion. At the door when saying farewell. On the phone. In the phone booth, train station, space station and in the produce aisle at Whole Foods. We. Love. Words.
They speak to us in ways far more complex than any genome and yet as ethereal as a baby’s sigh. They can touch, and caress us, or punch and pummel until the lights go out. But when handled with care, when dealt with, with the finesse of a watchmaker or a large-fingered mechanic, they can be soothing and inspiring of the most passionate of interludes.
But Poets are not always given their due. They are appreciated and applauded, yes, but when it comes time to hand out the Bestseller awards, we usually see names like, King, and Rowling, Patterson and Steele.
And while I cannot change all of that with a single article, I thought I could shed a little more light on what they do and why I appreciate them.
One of my favorite poems was written by W H Auden, and actually appears in a wonderfully poignant scene in the movie, Four Weddings and a Funeral. It’s called, Funeral Blues and here is the last stanza.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one, Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun, Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood; For nothing now can ever come to any good.
If you were looking for words to describe how you felt about the loss of someone near, I think this comes as close to perfect as can be found.
But poets and poems are not all about love and loss, though many are. Some are about fear and frustration and the inequities of life, that push hard against the hearts and heads of many and need to be vented somehow. Langston Hughes is another of my favorite poets. This one is called Dreams.
Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.
Illumination is lucky to have a number of poets who share their work with us every day. There is so much insight and emotion being offered up in the poems appearing each day, that in less than a minute, these few words can make your day.
Now, Maya Angelou. I believe I first heard her name when she was asked to perform a poem of hers at the first Clinton Inauguration in 1993. I’ve been a fan ever since. This is the first stanza from her poem, Alone.
Lying, thinking Last night How to find my soul a home Where water is not thirsty And bread loaf is not stone I came up with one thing And I don’t believe I’m wrong That nobody, But nobody Can make it out here alone.
There are classic poets and poetry as well that we read about in high school and college, like Keats and Tennyson, Dickinson and Walt Whitman. Here is a stanza from one by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. One you will probably recognize right away.
I hold it true, whate’er befall; I feel it when I sorrow most; ’Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all.
So, few words, and yet they rock you back on your heels, and almost force you to reconsider how you view life and love and pretty much everything else. This is what I love about poetry and poets. Their ability to take a few words, a handful of syllables and plant them deeply into our hearts and souls, where they will remain, and one day, spring forth in new inspiration that we will share with others.
There are also those poets who write with calloused hands, and an ear tuned to the language of the rougher side of life and love. One of my favorites is Charles Bukowski. Here is a snippet from one of his poems, entitled, Bluebird.
there’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out but I’m too tough for him, I say, stay in there, I’m not going to let anybody see you. there’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out but I pour whiskey on him and inhale cigarette smoke and the whores and the bartenders and the grocery clerks never know that he’s in there.
Yep, those words are not from any finishing school I’ve read about … but I wouldn’t have it any other way. The words reach up and grab you by the collar, blow smoke into your face and dare you to say anything that contradicts his version of life.
I love it.
Following are a few of the poets I have met here on Illumination. They brighten my day when I read them. They make me think, even when I don’t want to and most of all, make me feel. Even when my cells are aching and sleep is driving me to bed.
Thank you for being here — all of you!
A few others: Kevin Buddaeus, Sana Rose, Wolfie Bain, Tom Byers, Carolyn Riker, Terry Mansfield, Terri DelCampo-Nelson, Gurpreet Dhariwal, Steve James. 😊
Joe Luca is a published author and writer of children’s stories, short fiction, non-fiction articles, screenplays and poetry. Publications include Child’s Life, Children’s Playmate and others. There are some other articles below — have a read. And thank you for stopping by.