Wake up and smell the paper everyone! It’s writing time! Why aren’t poets a job title listen on Indeed? If society valued language the way that a poet does, our world would start to change and bring about community. Poetry doesn’t have to be one person speaking to a large audience, like a form of entertainment only. Poetry can be a conversation and can create plans for the individual.
We have to educate society on the importance of writers and poets. Are they afraid of the change that words can have or do they not care enough to see how one poem could stop a person from jumping over a bridge? Poetry saves lives, so why is it not an essential part of our society? Is it because people would rather turn the T.V. on instead of taking the time to engage their intellectual brains? Why do people dread actually engaging in something rather than having the easy way out?
They say anyone can write so it’s not hard enough to actually be a career. They also said the same thing about therapy! All you do is talk to people, so why does it matter? Because they are saving people’s lives every day! Poetry and writing can do the exact same thing. Well, poets just write all day, so why does it matter? Why is it that speaking is valued, but words are still backtracked to the times of reading was only meant for those with a higher social status, such as priests. Well, our world is changing and not everyone listens to religion as much. Now, they listen to those with the biggest voice weather that be a religious person or a writer.
Poets have one of the most difficult challenges, taking entire life experiences and breaking them down into an intimate sharing setting. What role would poets have to play in society to classify them as essential paid employees? Poets create life and joy in others. Poets can be part of schools, therapy and people’s daily lives to inspire them. We need inspiration and poets can provide that spark in others. Poets could join in senior homes and use words as therapy to bring back language and clarity in dementia patients. They can be a part of mental wellness hospitals to bring understanding to individuals in recovery. They can join in with therapists to guide the client to write their own poetry and learn more about themselves.
Poets begin writing because they have an agonizing thought that they know has purpose and change to others. They write because they “must”. They are emotional and empathetic beings who thrive on understanding and search to be truly understood. This makes the job of a poet an essential part of society because they can take life and explain it in simply a few words; and with that can change other’s perspectives; I call that magic. But we are plagued with the marketing world.
Poets are critical re-thinkers of their lives and the relation to this and the greater world. Yet, creative careers such as painters, writers, poets and musicians are still considered “hobbies”. There is not enough marketing material in order to sell yourself and if you do it on your own it is a full time job. If you want to actually find success, you must pay for it. Therefore, you must have a job to pay for it the time that you spend for an agent to help you with your “hobby” to turn it into a career and that is not guaranteed, because it all depends upon who likes you the best. Creatives go to college and learn everything around the subject. Then what? Move to Minnesota to become a Poetry Teacher? I think not.
Poets lead through language and that in itself should be enough to convince the world of it’s power. It is a transference from each word traveling into a complex and hidden meaning for both the poet and listener to discover. These multiple meanings are rolled up into each word, where poetry becomes much like a Sudoku game. Reaching inside your mind and finding and dealing with emotions that you did not even know exist is why poetry is so valuable. Bringing life, happiness, love and peace to others increases their mental and physical health because they are more motivated to take charge of their lives.
Caeli's Words 