"Poetry is Dead"
"No one cares about your stupid poem."
This was a line from a trending post. Yes Homie I am white listed and have enough SBD to upvote this post to the tending page any time I want. I can watch the numbers go up and then in six days get my money back. I can write 2,500 controversial words to fertilize Steemit. But I prefer a short post from the heart. I am not a philosopher and I am not a scientist but I know enough about life to realize the joy in being unknown. In the blockchain my words live one and I don't care if anyone remembers my name.
Grafton. K. Mintz was an American copyright editor from Ohio State who taught in Pusan Korea in the 60s and 70s.
His body was buried in Yangwhajin the foreigner's cemetery in Seoul. I took a walk around there Easter Sunday and found a living history in those who gave their lives for Korea.
This particular tomb struck me for what he said about poetry.
It is actually a quote from John Keats:
The Poetry of earth is never dead:
When all the birds are faint with the hot sun,
And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run
From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead;
That is the Grasshopper’s—he takes the lead
In summer luxury,—he has never done
With his delights; for when tired out with fun
He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.
Original Poem @mineopoly
Poetry is Alive
These words you brush by
Because they won't buy you lunch.
He pours out his heart for pennies.
Labors in the fields for his art is fleeting.
He left his home and his family
to a land unknown surrendering to the unforeseen.
But when he is gone the words are remembered.
Is it serendipity or irony that it is way too late?
The life he lived and the hearts he touched want more
But the poet cannot write.
He is taken to where the poets recite
Along the railroad tracks at night
From memory lines of the great.
They spend their days baking beans and playing guitar.
They strum a few chords and sing a good rhyme.
Grafton knows first hand the poetry of the earth
Is never forgotten."
It lives on as the cricket sings his song.
This is my 25th poem in the Steemitschool poetry competition @d-pend.(Steemitschool Discord)
Verse of the Day/ Isaiah 40:22
"It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in..."
Mineopoly Quote:
A line in time saves nine.
Check out my recent post @mineopoly
No Gravity on the Moon
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The Universal Soldier
Scaffolding Vygotsky Style
All images here are from pixabay or original works @mineopoly.
QTTA: (QUESTION TO THINK ABOUT)
"What are you waiting for?"
I love you all.
For amazing adventure in English please follow @mineopoly mining the heart.
I really enjoy a good poem. Something deep and meaningful and is somewhat clear in it's meaning. I find most poems now to be super pretentious and pure cringe.
Thank you @bhanzelhoff for your input. It is really important for me to reflect on. I know what you mean by pretentious and cringe... (side note: I haven't seen the word cringe used as a noun. I think it is a recent trend). I've lived overseas for about twenty years and in daily life use Korean more than half the time. My poems come from the heart and daily life. I have no intention to impose anything on anyone. In fact I despise the walls set up as the obstacle to reach the high and mighty ivy towers of empty illusions. I really don't know anything and see poetry as a learning experience for me and the reader.
@mineopoly
Saying poetry is dead is like saying music is dead, or theatre, or art, or love, or friendship. These are some of the things that touch our hearts and souls and create life, not just existence. Their forms may change, but they will forever be an integral part of what it means to be human. (my 2c worth anyway)
Thank you @kiwideb. I appreciate it. I was discouraged and upset when I read about what someone thought about poetry. I will never stop creating something. If it is good I'm happy. I'm thankful for the human interaction I have here. Have a great weekend.
There will always be haters. If they're not hating on poetry, they'll be hating on something else. I find it helps to remember that what they think about something says more about them than about you. Instead of letting them upset you, think about how happy you are not to be them! I have indeed had a great weekend. My feet haven't recovered from my birthday party yet :-) Hopefully I'll post about that tomorrow.
Do what you do and love what you write!!!! I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure poetry is alive and well :)
Thank you @andysantics48. I wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes I'm not sure of myself and it shows in my writing. I experiment with different styles. I look back at the words and music I put together and just laugh because it really is me.
Great words on Mintz’s headstone. The grasshopper is nice touch. Your poetry is definitely alive @mineopoly.
Thank you @redheadpei. I'm really happy to hear this. As I write poetry I end up reading more poetry. Keats puts a new twist on the lazy grasshopper story. There are so many lives like Mintz that seemed ordinary but influenced the way Korea is today. Every week or so I will write about one of these people.
Let me get this straight ... some dude is speaking out against poetry? LOL. Looking to engage in a battle of words with wordsmiths ... doesn't he know we can write mean things in meter and verse and then make them rhyme. LOL
I wouldn't sweat the critics, only keep my ears keen for the muses. And he's wrong. I care about poetry:) Loved the write ... keep the chin up and pen scribbling:)
You got it @prydefoltz. I'm not interested in attacking him because he likes controversy. His posts are pretty easy to find. Just look under "all content" + "trending posts" and you will find him but why bother. I quoted his exact words in this comment:
I like your advice not to sweat the critics and "keep the chin up and pen scribbling." I'm actually thinking about making two posts a day here again like I used to.
The poetry of the earth is eternal. She loves everyone. It is the most inclusive creation of God and man, based on a fact that can not be undone: physical death. Lots of heart and brain in this creation, friend @mineopoly. Good job, as always!
These are the true poets. They have no computer and they have no books. Everything was burned in the fire. They continue walking down abandoned railroad tracks looking back at days passed and moving forward in steps of pilgrimage.
Two Ray Bradburry quotes for free:
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i followed you @a-0-0
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