Yesterday was World Storytelling Day. Today is World Poetry Day as declared by the United Nations. So after you tell a story, recite a poem.
I have nearly a lifelong association with poetry. It is only fair that I get to hold forth a bit on the subject.
I have described poetry as an unnecessary art. Let me, in the gloriously self-absorbed tradition of South Asian poets, quote myself. On September 15, 2014, I wrote, “Unlike prose, which is necessarily time-intensive, poetry, unless it is epic, is more often than not instantaneous. That is because it often results from an evanescent inspiration. It has to be captured in that moment otherwise it comes across manufactured or contrived. I have always considered poetry to be, apart from being an unnecessary talent, an affliction. It results from a massive chemical disturbance inside one’s brain. It has to be expressed as soon as it occurs even if it happens to be rough and raw. For accomplished poets, who have been doing it for a long time, it takes birth fully formed and polished.”
The same year on April 20, I said this: “Poetry is an unnecessary talent. Having written it since 13, I think I have earned the right to say this. That said, not all talents should be judged for their worldly utility. The real worth of poetry lies in its inspirational quotient.
I have not done a scientific study to say this but I am fairly certain that great poetry has inspired people to do great things. The poet is necessarily is an inspirer or an illuminator. Poetry is a catalyst. If a single poetic line inspires people with genuine utility-oriented talents to do great things that help humanity at large, then poetry serves its purpose as does the poet. However, it is not the poet’s business to do things. Poets lead a life of conceit where doing worldly/mundane/utilitarian things is anathema.”
For someone who writes a verse or two or a dozen perhaps every other day, today bears no particular significance. Poetry is not seasonal or a passing observance. It is a way of life just as painting or prose is. For instance, unaware that today is World Poetry Day, I was woken up around 2.17 a.m. (I always look at the clock when I wake up) by this verse in Hindi.
मर्ज़ अगर दिल का हो तो
इलाज दिमाग़ का कराना चाहिए
(Marz agar dil ka ho to
Ilaj dimagh ka karana chahiye)
Loosely translates as:
If your heart is afflicted (as in love)
You should treat your head
The idea of the verse being that if you fall in love, there is an element of insanity to it.
My point is for me everyday is a poetry day.
