Title: Defining the Role of Poetry in Society: The Ongoing Conversation – Tufts Poetry Awards
Headings: Kingsley & Kate Tufts Poetry Blog
Kingsley & Kate Tufts Poetry Blog
May 10, 2017
Defining the Role of Poetry in Society: The Ongoing Conversation
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Content: These statements hint implicitly at an idea I often hear musicians invoke when discussing their motivations for creating art: that art is truly valuable in and of itself—irrespective of any concept of role or “purpose”. The mere fact that any person moving about the world can stumble upon your art and recognize something in it that reminds them of their own humanity; this act of reciprocal aesthetic experience enriching the lives of people alone makes creating art worthwhile for many artists of varying forms. Another idea I find implicit in these statements is that, while poetry can be an effective means for bringing our attention towards and better conceptualizing injustices, it can also play a dual-role in helping us cope with such injustices. Unfortunately, a good number of social justice issues are not able to be solved overnight, much less within a few years. In this way, the cathartic role of poetry is even more important than a social commentary one. So perhaps there is no singular role for poetry. Rather, poetry is meant to be our companion throughout every stage of societal awareness. This is evidenced through poetry’s multi-faceted ability to inspire us to action, highlight a previously unknown narrative, make us think critically, or simply to allow us to feel our humanity.