Baronhawk's Nest

It is my official policy and stance, that poetry is a form of expression. As such, it can be whatever you want it to be. As there are multitudes of ways, means and meanings to expression, so can there be multitudes of styles, shapes, points, languages and types of poetry.

To some, it is an art form, that requires strict tenets and crafting. A thing of beauty that must be shaped and molded with linguistic lilt and artistic preening. To them it is a matter of literary devices and cradling meanings within lingual parameters. It is poetry from the ivory towers.

Others see it as a popular means of communicating issues and concerns. Something with which to reach the masses. Devoid of complicated styling and shaded meanings, they see it as a language of and for the common people. Their motto, keep it simple and keep it real. Poetry for the streets.

Yet more see it as a portal for self expression, divulging personal angst and vocalizing life's unfathomable seasons. Tied not to any higher purpose or calling but just to his or her own mind and feelings. Abandoning both rules and meaning, often these works are at times as abstract and decipherable as the light of stars is to men. You guessed it, we are 'emo.'

Others still, see of it a holier purpose, the poetic discipline as a means of straining the essences of faith in order to search for truth, for reason... for God. Quite literally trying to decipher the philosophy of life. The pathway to enlightenment. A kind of poetic Sufism and evangelistic sermon.

But to me personally poetry is most of all a gift. A gift from the feel to the heart and from the thought to the brain, to the mind to the pen. From the pen to the ink, from the ink to the paper, or in our IT age from the mind to the fingers to the keyboard to the screen.

When spoken it is from the heart to the lungs to the larynx, to the voice to the air, to the ear to the brain, to the mind and back to the heart.

In the end, it is all about thoughts and feelings. Where poetry both begins and ends.

Poetry is ultimately the very manifestation of the poet's thoughts and emotions, and it in turn shall evoke thoughts and emotions in others. Though what was put into a poem may not be the same as what others take out of it.

That is the constant battle between a poet and the audience. That eternal tug of war between rhyme and reason, spiced up with the differences that arise from personal choices and preference.

But while poetry may mean something to audience, it may not have to. Because sometimes, poetry is a greater gift to the poet itself than for any audience. Who knows, maybe poetry is his or her escape from personal demons, a safety valve for self expression or indeed it could just be something to help with thought processes, or maybe even to cure indigestion.

But maybe that is the crux of it. Most of all poetry has to mean something to the poet first. The rest and everything else are just mechanics. People's expectations and perceptions notwithstanding. Regardless of what people say and what they expect.

Some might say this is selfish, but only when poetry means something to a poet can it be of any meaning to the audience at large. Only then can it be of consequence, only then can it be worthy as a gift. Else it will be nothing but an empty soulless husk of arranged words that is being strewn along and bandied about.

On a personal note, I am tired of being told of how my poetry should sound or be like, and then they turn around and say I should stay true to my own voice.

But there's the rub, this is my voice, believe it or not, those who know me personally will vouch that I do use those words and wax lyrical on a regular basis.

I can no further tune myself into another voice then to rip out the soul from within my own body.

Often I am vague and unfixed in my mentions, just as often as sometimes I am so precise so as to celebrate only one grain of sand on a mountain of others.

Indeed some of my poetry is only for a select few and sometimes only one person, my gift to them. At times it encompasses to hug the entire world in its wordy embrace.

I use cliches and flashy language to flesh out my poetry just as much as I use base words and life's banalities.

It is not a science, maybe even not an art. It is a craft that fits the mold that we individually build for it. Just because you are doesn't mean the I have to. Just because I am, you don't necessarily have to be.

And so there we have it. As long as I wear my own face, I shall practice my brand of poetry, the way I see fit. And as long as you wear yours, I shall let you stick to things as you like it. Else we should be bringing sharp knives and start to carve away each other's faces. A kind of pseudo poetical nip and tuck.