"Poetry"

Thinking of poetry, I recall two books favorites from years past, each consists of Bill Moyer's interviews with various poets... These poets speak of the writing life, their musings on the " meaning" of poetry and share other insights on this, the " spooky" art ( was it Mailed who coined the term?) The titles, " Fooling with Words" and, " The Language of Life" can well be ars poeticas answering the enigmatic question, " What is poetry?" But somehow I feel, there is more- that poetry is largely undefinable... And so, I contemplate this, my experiences with poetics and poetry remembering anecdotes, gleanings from history and these are lessons- all. One memory comes from my reading from Isak Dennison's " Out of Africa" and the recitation in Swahili, of verse completely nonsensical, to Kikuyo tribesmen unfamiliar with poetry, Still, the response was absolute delight, thus, they repeated- " Speak like rain" " Speak like rain..." And I wonder are we all possessed by a core recognition, a spark awakened upon hearing poetry? with it's rhythms and rhyme assonance and alliteration. Regarding the Kikuyo, did their reference to rain imply that, which is soothing, life- giving refreshing? somehow, I am sure... And I wonder too, are poets, ( as all artists) truly " the antenna of their race." ( to quote Pound) suggesting we are some sort of conduit of the society in which we live... Further thought turn to the Beats- and their innovative fire, to the compact wisdom of Li Po Basho- of- haiku in general; an excerpt of nature like a tiny " aha" moment- a literary snapshot of the sublime... And I think also of samizdat writings the desperation yet fervor of it's authors, the urgency, vitality of each line... And Flor y Canto of the Aztecs the original, and centuries later Chicano publication of the same name... I acknowledge too, an element of the sacred which lives in each poem and that this was known by the Greeks, by the poet- king Netzahualcóyotl. Yes, the ancients recognized ( even as indigenous people today) the connection between poetry and song poetry and prayer... And this is a concentrated potion, poetry of emotion and experience it is born of Lorca's duende- a paradox of exhilaration and frustration both blessing and curse. Poetry is known to all cultures it is ever reinventing itself, springing up in new venues, forms thus we have our contemporary bards proclaiming their sentiments and thoughts at slams and campuses workshops, open mics- on a sea of podiums... But poetry also exists in dismal places- like slums and shelters prisons and refugee camps it is necessary and affirming a bearing witness- sometimes the only evidence left of hope... ( As Roque Dalton said, " Poetry, like bread is for everyone.) and throughout millennia there have always been those compelled to write, there will continue to be poets as long as humans possess the ability to think and feel, as long as literacy remains this beautiful art, poetry will survive.