Tuesday 25 September 2018

Robin Durnford : part five


Why is poetry important?

This is a big pretentious question, but I think it’s extremely important. Poetry is more important than ever. Poetry isn’t capitalist. I mean I know it’s Instagrammable now, but poetry itself cannot be monetized (or can it?). Well, literature can’t (or can it?). But actually, although I lean this way politically, I also know that poetry cannot be socialist. It can try! Poetry, like all art, is about telling the truth, about being honest, about saying fuck the bullshit whatever the bullshit of the day may be. People get so intimidated by canonized poets these days, but, Jesus, so many poets were ignored and basically drummed out of the discourse of the day. That asshole Dylan Thomas, I forgot about him, he was telling the world something, but it wasn’t anything that it particularly wanted to hear, but his words? They had music. I’m a romantic that way. I believe in aesthetics. I don’t think making something beautiful, though, should make you snotty towards the world or those who don’t get it. I can’t say I’m always good at this, but I do know that poetry is not for poets. Poetry should be for the world. Actually, Thomas’s own “In my Craft or Sullen Art” sums it up!

Coda: This was fun. Thanks for giving poets an opportunity to talk and be heard!


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