Poetry still lives and shines
In the current global editorial market, it can be observed that usually fictional and non-fictional novels are considered (or treated) as some sort of Holy Grail of literature, whilst other literary genres experience a less glamorous status or, at least, do not receive the same level of appreciation by many readers.
It is not difficult to notice, for example, that new writers strive to craft their first novel and having it published to be considered ‘true’ or ‘earnest’ writers by the market and sometimes even by close friends or relatives. Just for the sake of illustrative example, the moment you tell someone that you are a writer, chances are that the person will ask you what novel(s) you have already published. Not to mention the increasing trend of publishing book series (or trilogies) in the style of “Harry Potter”, “The Lord of the Rings”, or “Twilight”, among many other successful titles.
Besides, given the fact that many successful movies and TV series are based or inspired by novels, they become a strong and attractive golden carrot to many writers, whilst movies based on poetry or even poets themselves are rarer to happen (e.g.: “Reaching for the Moon” and “Il Postino: The Postman”).
In addition to that, there are also several cases where a successful movie based on a novel, which originally was not widely known, has contributed to leveraging considerably a writer’s career that otherwise would have remained practically obscure or with a limited reach. And not due to lack of talent, but simply because the competition is fierce and there are millions of good writers out there. As a consequence, other titles that the writer may have published before that successful novel also reach stardom soon afterwards.
Moreover, a closer look at any weekly or monthly bookshops’ best-selling lists published in major newspapers or magazines usually highlight predominantly novels rather than poetry. Thus, this overall picture can, eventually, leads to the wrong impression that poetry is not in the same orbit as novels.
Nonetheless, before the reader jumps into any conclusion based on the above couple of introductory paragraphs, my point here is not to cast doubts or negative criticism upon novels as a literary genre and neither their writers. Instead of that, the aim is, in fact, to praise poetry also as a literary genre that, contrary to what some people can consider, is as vivid and engaging as any good novel. An excellent illustrative example in this regard comprises the young Amanda Gorman, who recited the poem “The Hill We Climb” at President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris inauguration ceremony in early January 2021.
Evolving from this point, I do not see the subject matter in a better or worse perspective because I think that a comparative approach between novels and poetry can narrow too much the conversation. Poetry and novels are different genres and as such, they convey their unique forms of communication between the author and reader.
Among the many remarkable aspects of poetry as a literary genre, what I particularly find fascinating encompasses the capacity to say much with few words. In line with this reflection take, for example, music lyrics, which in three to four minutes are capable of telling amazing stories or conveying engaging messages. Likewise, poetry lines are crafted in such a way that they master communication accuracy in short sentences, they are capable of triggering people’s emotions in short passages and make them reflect. Moreover, their lines can also address a myriad of topics in the most innovative and sometimes unexpected ways both in form and content.
I assume that over time you may have had the opportunity to come across poems as short as a couple of few lines as well as others who are hundreds of pages long (e.g. The Divine Comedy). Nevertheless, regardless of their length, it is possible to identify their strength in many ways. They can captivate you, challenge your common thinking or your perspective regarding a given topic, make you laugh, cry, dream, and so forth.
Furthermore, they can sometimes make you feel that the author has written those lines especially for you or even inspired by your own personal experiences. Or, they can also comfort you in a sensitive moment, become your voice when you felt speechless to express something special for someone you care about, and according to the topic, contribute to renewing your hope, energy and inspire you to move forward. Or finally, they can also make you turn your eyes towards subject matters that you had not thought about before. Anyway, the possibilities are limited only by the authors’ creative mind, which means to say that there are no boundaries.
Therefore, in conclusion, I say that poetry is not only full of a unique kind of inner energy and magnetism, but they are also absolutely lively and thriving even if the general public do not notice them as much as they are constantly exposed to numerous successful novels, given that the latter oftentimes gets more spotlight. Consequently, I leave you with the invitation to look closely around you, in the bookshop of your choice and even online, and (re)discover both new and established poets because I am confident that you will have remarkable moments of joy, just as the same ones you usually experience whilst engrossed with your favourite novels.
