Why is poetry important?
This question got some Twitter attention the other day, and I think in itself it’s an important question: why does any art form matter? For those who engage with a medium, the medium’s output needs to be ethical, restorative, and critical – determinants of quality. While semi-relative, and the worth of the poem can be relative, the quality is there or it isn’t. To showcase to audiences why poetry is important, a writer just has to write something that can spark interest, the quality of the poem resonating or not. Westside Gunn’s Buffalo, New York stories resonate broadly. Joy Harjo’s vignettes of Native American worlds also connect with millions of people. No need to split hairs: poetry has been around, will stay around, and will continue to be important when it is done well and brings enlightenment to folks.
No comments:
Post a Comment