With the rise of technology today, many people are questioning the relevance of poetry and if it is still popular. While it may not have the same attention as it did multiple centuries ago, poetry is still as alive and meaningful as it has ever been. Poetry has a distinct ability to captivate an audience by touching a vulnerable part in us, aiming to encourage us to take a glance into a greater world of thought.
The appreciation that poetry once had slowly started to dwindle with the invention of mass media. Smart phones, television, films and continued progress of technology present users with multiple entertainment options, which created the impression that many people no longer require poetry as a form of entertainment.
However, with the advent of the internet, poetry has found a new safe haven to express itself through blogs, websites and online forums recognizing the potential of this art form. Discussions around the topic have gained greater momentum and most importantly, people are starting to pay closer attention to its beauty.
Beyond any doubt, poetry has acquired a newfound spotlight in recent years. In his 2019 article, former poet laureate Sir Andrew Motion noted that “today’s energy around poetry is far greater than in my era of laureateship” and highlighted the emergence of international poetry festivals. These festivals provide an in-depth get together for poetry admirers and enthusiasts to learn, share and find a deeper meaning of the poetry world.
It is undeniable that poetry is still just as relevant and essential in our lives as it ever was, as it seeks to appreciate our moments of grief and happiness. Following the same notion, Twitter holds ‘National Poetry Day’ every year, where people share their words on a platform, promoting various poems.
Furthermore, individuals have even started to use social media as a stage to express their emotions in the literary form and share their work. This simple, yet powerful platform can only be created in poetry, and describes the level of control poetry has, even in our technological era.
An additional understanding and appreciation of the power of poetry has also achieved success through famous works such as Rupi Kaur’s “The Sun and Her Flowers”, a novel filled with poems, which achieved the New York Times Best Seller status in 2017. This further demonstrates that poetry does still have the potential to captivate the audience.
Varied Kinds of Poetry
The art form has no restrictions and can be composed in forms of rap, slam, Haikus and sonnets, among many others. This openness offers the readers to enjoy a powerful and diverse range of writing, providing the opportunity to grow, explore and engage in an ever-expanding variety of activities and pursuits.
Hence, poetry has the capacity to shift and be moulded depending on the user’s need. For example, throwback poetry nights, which are initiated by poetry clubs, bring together participants and viewers for a night filled with beauty and awe, and sometimes, even new friendships. This stimulates multiple conversations, discussions and ideas which aim to bridge the underlying communication gap through this art form.
In addition, the appreciation for classic poetry has only increased with time. William Shakespeare’s work has been exceptionally admired from the 17th century and continues to be enthralling much of the audience today. Multiple film companies have successfully adapted his writings, which were originally composed in Old English, into modern works of art.
Therefore, it is important to understand that regardless of the technology and growth of modernization, poetry still retains a long-lasting popularity. Poetry extensively caters to the needs of its users by bringing comfort, joy and a thrill of exhilaration to its readers.
Education
Poetry is widely often used by many teachers and professors in the early stages of education to urge good reading and writing skills amongst students. Attractive rhymes, verses and the artfulness of construct alter the tiredness normally associated with reading, and encourage learning into a fun activity. This pushes even the most disinterested person to develop a better appreciation for the subject.
Moreover, a large share of computers and smartphones hold fun applications to make learning more interesting for children. It uses various gaming activities, songs and rhymes in order to help children create an interest for reading. This further demonstrates the wide audience for poetry, which goes beyond adults.
However, it is important to understand that the implementation of technology can be of great detriment to poetry to an extent. Most of these applications treat the art form lightly by simply feeding rhymes and verses to create short-term interest and forget the true purpose of the literary genre.
Therefore, teachers have to take it upon themselves to incorporate better ways to bring poetry to life in their classrooms. This can include activities such as group/pair discussions, debates, writing workshops and analytical reading. All of these strive towards a greater understanding and appreciation of this art form, which has potential to influence in the long-term.
Live Performances
Readings and live performances are an essential part of poetry today. This includes events, concerts and festivals that focus on highlighting this art form. Similarly, poetry slam competitions, originally emerging from the United States, without any doubt attract the interest of many people. It involves quick recitation of current poetry that appeals to the audience’s shared experiences for several minutes, and can be slightly different from traditional readings.
Additionally, the well-established spoken-word performances, for instance, involve multiple well-versed poets, who provide raw and unrestricted poetics in the form of poems, stories and monologues. Such events work as an outstanding example of celebrating the beauty and meaning of poetic creations.
Moreover, many famous celebrities too have substantial social media followings, due to which they successfully incorporated their written works as part of their Instagram posts and stories. Alicia Keys, Rihanna and Common to name a few, are most famous for the short, yet meaningful pieces they have written to urge the audience to think of influential topics. Such platforms open up opportunities for many others to appreciate and explore poetry.
Internet and Poetry
The internet has shaped a massive impact on the way we access and read poems. Since the introduction of mediums such as ultra-short mediums like Twitter and Instagram, poets have pushed the boundaries by using the option to break down the traditional form of poem into something more compact. This gives more freedom to the user to present something more meaningful through words.
Apart from that, the internet has transformed the industry into a platform, whereby the entire art form exists collectively in multiple websites, portfolios, and other paperless outlets. This allows for a more natural conversation about poetry and an easier access for readers to view and share pieces. Therefore, with the assistance of the internet, people have been able to enjoy poetry around the world, which has led to a great surge in the appreciation of poetry, allowing it to remain popular in modern society.
The Present and Future of Poetry
Ultimately, literary works of poetic art are timeless and preserve an unexplainable beauty. Due to its importance and deep-rooted values, its irrelevance even today would be an unlikely answer to the topic of discussion. It has successfully passed through various stages of evolution and innovated itself, which has led to it surviving even in the age of new media developments.
The growth of social media is the most important factor that can impact the future of poetry. This can be used to reach out to a broader audience and benefit not only the established poets, but also budding and upcoming authors. The potential of the internet is enormous and if used appropriately, it can help evolve the poetry industry drastically.
In conclusion, poetry is still popular, as it has evolved with time, adapting itself to the changing conditions. The technology, growth in social media and live stage performances are some of the prime factors that have helped it stay relevant into the modern age, and the future looks bright for the preservation of this art form.
