Favorite line: There are still many tribal cultures where poetry and song, there is just one word for them.
Poetry, perhaps more than any other form of writing, delves deep into emotions. And rhythm, from the haunting repetitions of to the taunting questions of plays a big part in evoking those feelings.
Edward Hirsch, author of A Poet’s Glossary, says poetry has its roots in song — in the beginning, a poet was a troubadour.
“There are still many tribal cultures where poetry and song, there is just one word for them,” Hirsch explains. “There are other cultures with literacy where poetry and song are distinguished. But poetry always remembers that it has its origins in music.”
Hirsch says the merger of poetry and music never disappeared entirely, and in recent years has made a big comeback with performance poetry and rap.
Kate Tempest, the 2013 recipient of Britain’s Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry, began her artistic life as a rapper. Her winning poem,”Brand New Ancients,” was an hour-long spoken-word piece set to music.
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