ExploreTruth

Over the past year, I’ve begun to write more poetry.  Much of it spurred on by the past National Poetry Month during April.  I’d somewhat dabbled here and there in years past, but over the last couple years, I’ve begun to slowly develop a stronger affinity for poetry.

But beyond my journey into the land of poetry, I’ve often asked myself what it is about poetry that is so appealing to people?  And what exactly defines a poet?

Recently, I was reading Peter Rollins new book, Insurrection, and while he is making a larger point, he quotes Soren Kierkegaard, as he defines the true nature of a poet.

“What is a poet?  An unhappy man who hides deep anguish in his heart, but whose lips are so formed that when the sigh cry pass through them, it sounds like lively music…And people flock around the poet and say: “Sing again soon” —that is, “May new sufferings torment your soul but your lips be fashioned as before, for the cry would only frighten us, but the music, that is blissful.”  and the critics come forward and say, “That’s the way, that’s how the rules of aesthetics say it  should be done.”  Of course a critic resembles a poet to a hair, except he has no anguish in his heart, no music on his lips.”

Rollins finally sums up Kierkegaard’s reflection, by stating “that a poet is one who suffers on our behalf.” Whereas “the critic is able to comment on the beauty of the music without experiencing the trauma that gave birth to it…”

Nice. Lately, I’ve had the unhappy thing down some.  So all I need now is to learn to put music on my lips? Ok…I see your deeper point homie!

This question, of what a poet is, will likely remain up for grabs.  For me, Kierkegaard seemed to be on to something.

But what about you…how do you define a poet?  It doesn’t have to be a dissertation…hit me with your best definition?