Dear readers,
How are you all doing, I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful weather this week! For this week’s lecture, we have discussed the poems from Juliana Spahr and Wisława Szymborska. We discussed the purpose and the symbolism of their work and how they differ from each other. The two poems revolve around the issue of 9/11 which held significant influences in the global sphere. In this blog, I would like to explore the way poems serve as a way for the society to reflect on contemporary issues and social norms.
My exposures to traditional Chinese poems can be traced back to the early stage of my life. Certain Chinese poems are always related to festive days, and it is often the poem that connects us to the traditional and historical values. Poetry is one of the most crucial tools in understand historical issues and situations, not only does it record the collective memory at that time, it also captures the emotion of the writer.
The poems by Spahr and Szymborska captured both the collective and individual experiences of 9/11 and I’m particularly interested in how poetry is able to illustrate the contemporary experience in the world. Spahr creates a strong sense of collectivism thus connecting people through the geographical space created by the strong repetitions and “breathlessness” in the poem. The ability to deliver a specific emotion and message through the subtle arrangement of the words is what makes poetry unique. Poetry is a time capsule which can be accessed by anyone anywhere; it tells stories ranging from a fallen kingdom to the romance between young lovers.
In the modern world of the advanced communication technology and the dominating social media, our perceptions of global issues are often manipulated by the mass media. All these “fake news” and controversies from public media have created a rather aggressive environment for people with different opinions to voice out. In contrast, poetry is the perfect medium for people to express themselves, to hold on to the fragments of time and put in your very own stories. Poetry is simple yet complicated, depending on your personal experiences, poems can carry different meanings and emotions. Poetry is accessible, a child can write a haiku about his lunch while a convict can write about his family and his culture. At this age of efficiency which we never really think twice when we press the “like” or “share” button, I believe that poetry can allow us to reflect upon ourselves, on what we like or what we are actually passionate in.
Poetry is not only a form of expression but also a key to personal understanding. That is why poetry is referred as one of the most influential forms of literary work throughout history.