Something i’ve thought about a lot is why poets are often imprisoned or intimidated by tyrants or occupying armies. In Burma the military locked up poets. Historically in Ukraine, poets have been persecuted by Russian leaders. In Gaza last week, the brilliant poet Mosab Abu Toha was detained by the IDF. Why poets? I’d be interested in your thoughts.
I suspect you already know some of the answer. There are times when people look to poets. Less often in the U.S. but, I'm aware, elsewhere in the world, historically-speaking, being a 'Poet' was a title to be respected. In the U.S., we can certain think of moments, like 9/11, when poetry was essential and impactful. Two of the great modern Polish poets, Szymborska and Zagajewski, wrote two of the poems that are among the most-often referenced 9/11 poems. ('Photograph' and 'Try to Praise the Mutilated World'). And then, you have a poem like Amiri Baraka's controversial 9/11 poem 'Somebody Blew Up America'.
I would say, too, that poets often have an activist streak and are, oftentimes, counterculture/marginalized or otherwise pushed the fringe in some regards. These are the types of people who are real threats because they're not about to conform and are likely to speak out against wrongdoing.
There's a history of poets and artists being involved in resistance movements.
This LitHub article discusses Anna Akhmatova's story. Famously, Akhmatova memorized her poems during wartime because it was too dangerous to have anything in writing. I'm reminded, too, of other forms (like landays) that exist in oral form to because speaking up in an autocratic or dictatorial society is dangerous.
*
The question I'm inclined to toss back in your court is why are poets not seen as a threat in the U.S.?
Something i’ve thought about a lot is why poets are often imprisoned or intimidated by tyrants or occupying armies. In Burma the military locked up poets. Historically in Ukraine, poets have been persecuted by Russian leaders. In Gaza last week, the brilliant poet Mosab Abu Toha was detained by the IDF. Why poets? I’d be interested in your thoughts.
I suspect you already know some of the answer. There are times when people look to poets. Less often in the U.S. but, I'm aware, elsewhere in the world, historically-speaking, being a 'Poet' was a title to be respected. In the U.S., we can certain think of moments, like 9/11, when poetry was essential and impactful. Two of the great modern Polish poets, Szymborska and Zagajewski, wrote two of the poems that are among the most-often referenced 9/11 poems. ('Photograph' and 'Try to Praise the Mutilated World'). And then, you have a poem like Amiri Baraka's controversial 9/11 poem 'Somebody Blew Up America'.
*
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48799/photograph-from-september-11
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/57095/try-to-praise-the-mutilated-world-56d23a3f28187
*
I would say, too, that poets often have an activist streak and are, oftentimes, counterculture/marginalized or otherwise pushed the fringe in some regards. These are the types of people who are real threats because they're not about to conform and are likely to speak out against wrongdoing.
There's a history of poets and artists being involved in resistance movements.
This LitHub article discusses Anna Akhmatova's story. Famously, Akhmatova memorized her poems during wartime because it was too dangerous to have anything in writing. I'm reminded, too, of other forms (like landays) that exist in oral form to because speaking up in an autocratic or dictatorial society is dangerous.
*
The question I'm inclined to toss back in your court is why are poets not seen as a threat in the U.S.?