WORLD POETRY DAY
“’World Poetry Day” is celebrated on 21st
March every year. It was declared by The United Nations Educational and
Cultural Organization in 1999 to promote the reading, writing, publishing, and
teaching of poetry throughout the world with the aim of supporting linguistic
diversity.
Poetry is defined as “a form of
literary art that uses aesthetic, rhythmic, and often metaphorical language to
evoke emotion, create vivid imagery, and explore complex ideas beyond literal
meaning.”
Some synonyms of poetry are : verse,
metrical composition, poesy, rhyme, song, lyric and ditty.
According to Matthew Arnold (1822-1888), the
supreme subject matter of poetry is “criticism of life” conducted under the
laws of poetic beauty and truth. He further says: Poetry must deal with
serious, noble, and universal human actions, providing consolation and high
intellectual/spiritual purpose rather than merely amusing the reader.
William Wordsworth (1770-1850) has a
different view. He said in his Preface to
Lyrical Ballads poetry should derive its subject matter from common life,
specifically rustic and humble life. He laid emphasis on simple, rural
subjects, passionate human experiences. There should also be a deep, spiritual
connection to nature in order to express profound emotions in the everyday
language of ordinary people.
William Wordsworth also defined
poetry as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. He further adds: It
takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.
The English divine F.W.Robertson (1816-1853
) says that the office of poetry is not to make us think accurately; but feel
truly.
To conclude, here are a few memorable
quotes:
1.
Poets
utter great and wise things which the do not themselves understand.---Greek
philosopher Plato (427-347 B.C,).
2.
Truth
shines the brighter clad in verse.—English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744).
3.
In
poetry which is all fable, truth still is the perfection.----English
philosopher Anthony Ashley Cooper Shaftesbury (1671-1713).
4.
You
arrive at truth through poetry; I arrive at poetry through truth.---French
moralist Joseph Joubert (1751-1824).
5.
As
nightingales feed on glow-worms, so poets live upon the living light of nature
and beauty.---American Journalist Gamallel Bailey (1807- 1859) .
********
G. R. Kanwal
21 March 2026
No comments:
Post a Comment