Modern poetry has taken a turn for the worse. There is no denying that this art form is at its all-time low in recent years. While the quality of modern poetry varies from person to person, there are several reasons why this time period is making it so difficult for poets to write great poems.
To start, modern poetry typically uses experimental techniques and often relies on postmodern concepts. These concepts are often not easy to understand, which can make it difficult for poets to garner an audience. Additionally, the “free-form” approach of modern poetry is ill-suited to handle complex ideas and stories. This has resulted in a lot of poets struggling with conveying their ideas in poetic fashion.
Another reason why modern poetry is seen as “bad” is because it often fails to hook its audience. Poems should be immersive and draw the reader in to feel something, yet modern poetry often fails to do so. Dr Ram Guha, poet and cultural theorist, believes this lack of engagement is indicative of a wider problem – even experienced poets lack the ability to hook their audience and persuade them subtly. This lack of subtlety leads to some poems appearing childish and, as a result, fail to capture their audience.
Lastly, the popularity of rap and singer-songwriters has drastically changed the state of modern poetry. Fans of these genres tend to see poetry as either too pretentious or outdated. This has deterred some writers from writing contemporary poetry and led to the closure of a lot of poetry-focused magazines and anthologies.
The Impacts of Social Media
In the modern age, it is easy to see why social media has had a significant impact on the state of modern poetry. It has often become a hotbed for performance poets – people who create content for likes and follows that results more in becoming viral than being well-crafted. These people rarely appreciate the art form of poetry, instead using it as a tool for entertainment. This view of poetry has had a drastic effect on young poets, as they possibly look to imitate the performance poets in pursuit of followers.
Not only do performance poets make it difficult for real poets to stand out, but much of modern poetry has become directed at going viral than trying to make something meaningful. There is an obsession with creating something cool-looking to appear on the explore page, and many poets are willing to make their content flashier rather than linger with it being of superior quality.
Social media also has had a negative effect on how people write. Poets become fixated on the need to be part of the “trend” and write with a modern style instead of experimenting and pushing boundaries. This can lead to some poets writing “stand-alone” poems instead of collections and projects – they spread themselves too thin across the internet world, leaving their impact too diluted.
Conclusionless
But, not all is doom and gloom for modern poetry. There is a chance for poets to take a step back and look at the roots of poetry and its initial purpose. As poets begin to learn from each other and focus on creating meaningful content, rather than work that aims to go viral, modern poetry can regain its spark and become monumental once again. It is only up to the poets to decide their path.
Modern Society’s Blame
Modern society has to take its share of the blame for why modern poetry is so bad. Because of the rapid advances in technology and the sheer amount of stimuli available to us, it is possible that we have become desensitized to art in general. It is difficult to immerse ourselves in something that seems mundane, causing many to neglect good poetry and search for something more entertaining.
This lack of appreciation of art also extends to our education systems. Schools often introduce young students to the topics of poetry and literature but lack the training and resources to adequately explore and appreciate these forms of art. This leads to some students losing interest and writing off poetry as a whole.
This is not just the case with poetry, art in general is regarded very differently in modern society when compared to past periods. There is an urge for art to become more entertaining, false, and sleazy in order to capture a passing audience, making it difficult for more meaningful content to stand out.
Previous Periods’ Influence
Conversely, past eras have had a great influence on modern poetry, and have made it difficult for poets to convey their messages and even create something meaningful. With some people viewing past eras as “simpler”, modern poets have a lot to live up to and often fail to. Poets today are also writing against a huge body of literature and information, which makes it difficult to create something innovative and engaging.
The struggle of modern poets can also be attributed to external pressures – be it social media, the public, or even themselves. Writers of the past didn’t have to worry about the criticism imposed on today’s writers, and as such, have made it difficult for modern poets to create something worthy and encourage them to write something safe.
Nevertheless, the future of modern poetry looks promising. If we get back to the basics and focus on making meaningful poetry, then we can turn this negative trend around. It is up to poets to stand out and create work that implores people to read.
Making a Difference
One way to make modern poetry stand out is to take advantage of technology and maximize its potential to reach a far wider audience. Through this, it is possible to make meaningful and long-lasting connections with readers and take a look at what it means to be a poet in today’s world, rather than having to conform to expectations.
It is also important for poets to continue to stay connected with each other and share experiences and ideas. Through this, an understanding of modern poetry can be developed, the art fostered, and a distinct style can be formed. Additionally, poets should take advantage of organizations and communities that have been created to help them with their craft, such as Open Mic UK, which offers critiques and advice.
Lastly, it is important for modern poetry to be open to change and experimentation. Poets should strive to push boundaries and take chances – this is the only way for something new and worthwhile to be created. By focusing on meaningful content, rather than trying to be fashionable, poets can create lasting works that will be remembered.
