Poetry begins where science ends. “What
flower is that over there?” The gardener will answer, “A lily.” That’s a plain factual
statement. The botanist will tell you that the flower belongs to the order of
Hexandria monogynia. That is science. Edmund Spenser says, “It is the lady of
the garden.” Spenser is a poet. Ben Jonson, another poet, calls it “the plant
and flower of light.” Jesus asked his followers to take a lesson from the lily:
“They toil not, nor do they spin. Yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed
like one of these." That is spirituality.
There is
poetry in spirituality. In fact, poetry is another form of spirituality. A few
weeks back, I wrote in
this very same space that “If [poet] Keats cared to establish a religion, its
deity would have been Beauty.” When Jesus equated himself (god) with Truth,
Keats equated Beauty with Truth. Wordsworth found similar truth and sanctity in
Nature. Isn’t every genuine poet on a spiritual quest?
But poetic
truths are not scientific truths. Science sees hydrogen and oxygen molecules in
water. The poet listens to the music of the water laughing down a mountain
slope. The poet perceives a different truth. Poetic truths begin where the
molecules stop.
What about
politics? There is as much in common between politics and poetry as between kerosene
and sugar though both kerosene and sugar have in them carbon and hydrogen
molecules. Politicians and poets are both human beings. But the similarity quite
ends there.
Politics is
about power. About manipulations. Distortions. Invasions. Aggressions. The base
side of humanity. And ubiquitous taxes.
Poetry is
about truth. Beauty. Imagination. Intuition. Contemplation. The refined side of
humanity.
If a
politician can nurture a poet within, it will do him and his country much good.
The bigot in Vajpayee was held under control by the poetry in his heart. The
dominant politicians in today’s India will do a lot better with a little poetry
in their hearts.
Poetry makes
better human beings than religions and gods do. You will find criminals and
terrorists among religious believers, not among poets. Can we inject some
poetry in the veins of our political leaders?
PS.
Written for Indispire Edition 419: Poetry is the language of the
heart? Do you think making poetry-reading compulsory for our politicians can
make the country a little better place? #PoetryInPolitics
What a beautiful & innovative way to reform Political scenario! Wish poetry helps such power hungry brains ! I absolutely enjoyed reading it 😊
ReplyDelete"The poet and politician in me are often locked in a duel and both win and lose occasionally," Vajpayee once said. I know for certain that the poet in him did him much good.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteI am certain that many politicians read (and may even scribble) poetry... the problem lies in how they chose to interpret what they read... and always with a view to how it justifies their stance rather than moderates it. YAM xx
Probably yes. I'm inclined towards scepticism, however. Anyone who has poetry in heart cannot be a politician - not a successful one - in today's world - my hypothesis.
DeleteDon't think so. Politician will misuse poetry for his own power goals and poets will make worst politicians.
ReplyDeleteYeah, like the devil quoting the scriptures. But what I think is if we can get poetry into the genes of the politicians...
DeleteYes. But very unlikely amalgamation
ReplyDeleteI'd like to believe in miracles 😊
DeleteThank you for writing this, Sir. Loved this-//Poetry is about truth. Beauty. Imagination. Intuition. Contemplation. The refined side of humanity.// This comes as a reminder of why I started a poetry website in the first place. I think I have moved away slightly from my original notion while trying to understand the different aspects of the blogging world. I have had my fair share of learning. It's high time I get back to work on what I had envisioned. Once again, thank you so much for penning this. :)
ReplyDelete