Post by AquarianM on Aug 25, 2004 11:28:07 GMT -5
Often when writing poetry, the writer feels a sense of "tapping into a source." The sensation is as if something larger than you is actually giving you the words to put down on the page or keyboard. The favored manner of writing differs from author to author, and really is irrelevant for the purpose of this discussion. Many times when writing under this "spell" or "trance" state, for lack of better words, and author feels they have written some of the most important and profound writing.
Another interesting phenomenon that I have noticed in such instances is that usually two or three other poets at the boards I post to will write on very similar themes when I feel this happen. Most often it is two other poets, and it seems to happen with three of us at a time.
Another area of interest is the concept of prayers through poetry, or as poetry. I would like to investigate this type of poetic expression in my own writing, and to hear from others if they use the same technique. I have written a few poems of my heartfelt wishes in the past with lines like "releasing prayers to electronic winds." I wondered even back then if poetry could be used as a request for spiritual energy, for the feelings and desires of readers to resonate with the request inherent in a poem. In effect, the reader is "speaking the word to God for the writer" by sympathizing with the poem's emotional content. Readers of Florence Scovel Shinn's work "Wisdom" will have a deeper understanding of the subject I am raising.
Could wide-spread poetry be used to bring the energies of peace, love, and prosperity to a wider group of people? Certainly writings in the Bible's last books, as well as things such as Norse mythology's Ragnarok and others have brought a view of a cataclysmic end to the world into the larger consciousness of mankind. Writing of any nature can do this. Writing of a spiritual nature may in some way alter the universe we inhabit by altering our basic beliefs about the universe we inhabit at a very deep level. Modern physics touches on the possibility, theorizing that the universe exists out of unlimited probability streams because we observe it to exist. The Bible says in one part that "He who believes enough can move a mountain." and that we should give thanks to God as if what we ask is already granted. Some modern preachers warn us that the words we speak to ourselves are also heard by God, and we can speak ourselves into trouble or into joy.
This raises many questions about poetry, and how it might be put to use to bring positive spiritual energy to a large group of people. If this is true, and possible, then poets bear a heavy responsibility for the visions they craft and display. Perhaps it is time we poets as a sub-culture examine this aspect of our art in detail. Certainly the world could use all the positive spiritual energy that can be found in these times. It seems that the world is at a turning point and the focal point of this is here in the United States, in the ideology and path we choose to follow going forward. There is a great rift in this country in view point at this time. Could the gentler, kinder side of poetry be utilized to help heal this to some extent? Could we possibly write our way to a somewhat better world?
Please feel free to post any comments on this topic . I would like to deepen this discussion if possible.
Dan
Another interesting phenomenon that I have noticed in such instances is that usually two or three other poets at the boards I post to will write on very similar themes when I feel this happen. Most often it is two other poets, and it seems to happen with three of us at a time.
Another area of interest is the concept of prayers through poetry, or as poetry. I would like to investigate this type of poetic expression in my own writing, and to hear from others if they use the same technique. I have written a few poems of my heartfelt wishes in the past with lines like "releasing prayers to electronic winds." I wondered even back then if poetry could be used as a request for spiritual energy, for the feelings and desires of readers to resonate with the request inherent in a poem. In effect, the reader is "speaking the word to God for the writer" by sympathizing with the poem's emotional content. Readers of Florence Scovel Shinn's work "Wisdom" will have a deeper understanding of the subject I am raising.
Could wide-spread poetry be used to bring the energies of peace, love, and prosperity to a wider group of people? Certainly writings in the Bible's last books, as well as things such as Norse mythology's Ragnarok and others have brought a view of a cataclysmic end to the world into the larger consciousness of mankind. Writing of any nature can do this. Writing of a spiritual nature may in some way alter the universe we inhabit by altering our basic beliefs about the universe we inhabit at a very deep level. Modern physics touches on the possibility, theorizing that the universe exists out of unlimited probability streams because we observe it to exist. The Bible says in one part that "He who believes enough can move a mountain." and that we should give thanks to God as if what we ask is already granted. Some modern preachers warn us that the words we speak to ourselves are also heard by God, and we can speak ourselves into trouble or into joy.
This raises many questions about poetry, and how it might be put to use to bring positive spiritual energy to a large group of people. If this is true, and possible, then poets bear a heavy responsibility for the visions they craft and display. Perhaps it is time we poets as a sub-culture examine this aspect of our art in detail. Certainly the world could use all the positive spiritual energy that can be found in these times. It seems that the world is at a turning point and the focal point of this is here in the United States, in the ideology and path we choose to follow going forward. There is a great rift in this country in view point at this time. Could the gentler, kinder side of poetry be utilized to help heal this to some extent? Could we possibly write our way to a somewhat better world?
Please feel free to post any comments on this topic . I would like to deepen this discussion if possible.
Dan
