Ode to the enduring potential of poetry

[Maureen K Clifford]

I don't think we have failed - when you have so much to compete against for peoples attention I think we are probably doing better than we think we are. We are hearing all the negatives - how attendances at functions are down and kids aren't taught poetry any more and there is a them and us division between bush poets and free versers and all of that may be true to a degree - but look at the positives.

Peoples habits change over time - once it was newspapers, then it was radio shows, live concerts, pubs and clubs, drive in's and movies, TV , now it is online internet instant gratificatation, on line mags and newspapers, movies downloaded and watched at home, nightclubs. Our nations habits have changed and will continue to change.

And yet shows that Bob and other performing poets do are popular, our poets breakfasts continue across the country, our Music Festivals have poets, slam poetry is taking off world wide, hip hop a modern form of slam poetry is popular with the young ones, our ABPA Face Book page is doing well and the TAT Poetry Mag is going great guns. Stephens childrens poetry books are becoming well known - not breaking records perhaps with any of these but still out there, and being enjoyed...and we are just one of many such groups around the world which are active and enjoyed.

Perhaps a consistent effort to 'talk it up' rather than spending time on the negatives would help. Work it, milk it, spread it like you do fertilizer - which if left in the bag does no good to anything, but shovel it around a bit and watch your garden grow. I for one feel privileged to be a member of ABPA and many other poetry groups - I think us poets have a lot to offer but if we don't share our work
out there - well the most perfect rose kept in a greenhouse and only enjoyed by the bloke who grew it is never going to stir up a public demand for it - is it? Because who would know?

Just my thoughts - might be overly simplistic perhaps but why do we make things hard?

[Terry]

I agree with you Matt. (I think)
There is no right or wrong way, you do it your own way. It's an individual way of expression with subtle differences between styles or indeed writers. You may learn from and greatly admire the work of others, but we should write our own poetry whatever that may be and if by chance someone enjoys a poem we've written that's a bonus.

Cheers Terry

[Neville Briggs]

Good point Marty. This thread was about the enduring potential of poetry.

Potential for what ? That's the question I ponder.

There is a legend ( probably a myth ) that Edward 1, King of England made a decree to eliminate the folk bards of Wales as a means to subdue the Welsh. If true it shows the potential for moving people's hearts and minds that poetry once had in Britain. I saw a documentary on Shakespeare in which the commentator said that Shakespeare had to be careful with some of his theatre verse, that it didn't offend the powers that be by examining their faults, people might have lost confidence in their betters and Shakespeare could have ended up in the Tower.
On those days poetry mattered.

Into our own time it seems not.
Henry Lawson wrote a poem advocating revolution ( Faces in the Street ) he wrote another poem as a scathing criticism of Queen Victoria ( I think its called That Woman They Call The Queen ) but nothing happened to Henry, nobody seems to have got stirred up about it. The modern Australian poet Hal Colebatch wrote a poem in which he severely criticised Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser, and called them Ninconloon and Pantapoop. Pollies didn't bat an eyelid.
But in some countries these days it is not so. In two at least, China and Iran, poets have been arrested and jailed. Poetry matters there.

Maybe we will know that our poetry is realizing its potential when poets are being persecuted and imprisoned for their poetry. A bleak thought.




p.s. Thanks folks for the feedback on my little verse above.

p.p.s. You're dead right Matt.

[Heather]

Perhaps it's not a myth Neville. The theatre, the press, poets, cartoons and the "written" word in general had a great influence before the advent of radio, television and the more recent forms of media. Ink was the means by which literate people communicated - newspapers, books, pamphlets, letters (remember letters?) and the papers were a valued source of information (& poetry too by the way). Theatre for illiterate people - the majority of the population. They got away with a lot more too - I've seen newspaper articles in the 1800s that are highly libelous (but very funny). The local Kilmore paper often had poetic offerings printed in it.

[Bob Pacey]

why does the arguement always become more important than the discussion that starts it. "


I thought it was a very interesting discussion could not see any argument there just a number of different views expressed and some in a very informative way.


Bob

[Maureen K Clifford]

Probably no surprises here Neville but I see that still happening today especially in Muslim countries where women risk death by writing poetry. The Afghan Womens Writing Group who have shared some of their poetry with me have to meet in secret to share their words. They are smuggled out of the country to other Afghan women who live in the USA and other places to get their voices heard. One women was run out of town literally as the village elders found her love poems offensive - she said she was to be 'dealt with' in other words killed for her sin.

It breaks your heart to read what they write the pain is so tangible - http://awwproject.org/ but they persevere because they believe their voice must be heard. I wouldn't have the courage they have. These ladies and young girls totally believe in the potential of poetry and the power it has. You can read the article here along with some of their poems if interested http://www.theaustraliatimes.com/emagaz ... ue10/#p=58

[warooa]

Not making light of the serious nature of those poems and the issue on the whole, Maureen. I reckon it's great that these women are finding an avenue through poetry to express themselves.

But some Muslim female poets, like Paprika Sloth do have a sense of humour. Here is one of her poems.

Shi’a la Islami

By Paprika Sloth

Your women almost naked,
with bare shoulders, legs and feet.
Parading ‘round in public,
looking like pieces of meat.

From Western Sydney’s mosques,
all adorned with Muslim colour,
then down the coast, bare flesh on show;
will we make Allah duller?

At Ramadan, we thank the army
Shi’a la Islami

The tips we get are helpful
From the Government social worker;
Says “hide your chubby ankles . .
And for gawds sake keep your burka.”

5 times a day we pray to Mecca,
Mohammed says “come off it”!
The meat market is worth a look,
But really ‘not-for-prophet’.

Our kids at school were laughed at
For dressing in that way
We thought it was appropriate for
Kids on Mufti Day

My Muslim mates have all gone barmy
Shi’a la Isalami

That brazen piece of flesh,
She lures with sights and smells.
Just cover up the fatwa’s;
Heathenistic infidels.

How I’d get stoned to death
if adultery was my deed.
My Aussie friends get stoned to death
by smoking funny weed.

I cover up, but try too hard,
just trying to impress.
A burqua made from rump steak
just like Lady Ga Ga’s dress.

Here comes halal guru Swami
Shi’a la Islami

[keats]

Not to make light of the situation Marty, but Paprika Sloth sounds like something you would order in a South American restaurant.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Very witty Marty but doubtless she is writing from outside of Afghanistan - if only those other young girls could write something so lighthearted - I am sure they would like to, but suspect that lighthearted moments have been very few and far between in their short lives.

[Neville Briggs]

The point I was making ( I think ) is that in the western culture poets have suffered perhaps the worse fate of all, they are considered irrelevant and ignored. As Marty has pointed out, poetry is just a niche; a niche for a few air heads to play around with as the real world of The Economy rolls on. Heaven help us.