I think I understand. I must say that my own experience leads me to disagree
with you. I don't think I've met anyone (apart from maybe my last MP and some
Regional Arts Board Literature officers) who was utterly incapable of writing a
poem. Maybe not a 'good' poem, but that's not what's at issue.
I have seen this in action in many settings: e.g. schools, where children of all
types, disabilities, academic and intellectual abilities, etc have produced
poems. It sounds hyperbolic but I have seen children classified as elective
mutes stand up and read their poems out loud. Of course, this potential for
poetry required some drawing out, and guidance and encouragement, but that does
not mean it is not there.
In case we put this down to some quality of youth I have also seen the same
thing happen in groups of prisoners with only the most basic education and an
ingrained aversion to writing - but given the approriate context (i.e. theirs
not mine) they all produced writing which surprised themselves and me and which
could definitely be called poetry. And an enormous number of prisoners write
poetry (usually rhymed, greetings card style verse) whilst inside, though they
wouldn't dream of it 'on the out'.
If the statement was 'the potential for good poetry is within all' I might take
issue with it as wishful thinking, on the basis of evidence/experience. And it's
clear that not everyone wants to write poetry, nor should they. But I'd like to
hear of evidence that we don't all have the potential to make poetry of some
kind at some level .
best,
Mark
Paul Waters wrote:
> My own understanding of what Mr Sutherland wrote is that he is taking the
> world as it is, rather than as one might wish it to be, and that one should
> not take as a given statements such as "...as poetry is inherent au natural
> within language...the potential for
> poetry is within all."
>
> And by the "real politics" of this I assume Mr Sutherland means that there
> is presumably a motive for suggesting that reality is other than experience
> presents it to us.
>
> As Mark states below, humanistic inclusivity is a belief (or dogma if you
> prefer). It is not a self-evident truth. As with the hereafter, it might be
> nice to believe, but that does not make it true.
>
> Paul
> --
Mark Robinson
Programme Director, Arts & Humanities
Centre for Lifelong Learning
32 Old Elvet
Durham
DH1 3HN
England
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