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The Voice of Poetry

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Wystan Hugh Auden, an American poet, said, “That poetry makes nothing happen,” on the contrary, the opposite is true: poetry makes everything materialize in the realm of social development. Human cultural standards begin with what people believe, and how they respond when they see conduct they approve or do not approve of. On one hand, a person who picks his nose in public is told "Ew, that's gross!" On the other hand, contemporary societies increasingly say "Ew, that's disgusting!" when they see prejudice and intolerance. So if a person wants to be popular, he needs to stop picking his nose in public, and if a nation wants to be admired, it needs to stop practicing racism and bigotry. Public opinion determines what is acceptable and what is not, so poets who want to influence public opinion play an important role in human social advancement. Fundamentally, poets and other artists who detested racism and persuaded other people to change their beliefs encouraged the change. We call these artists contemporary mystics because poets spoke prophetically and persuasively about the need for human societies to transform and embrace equal opportunity and acceptance. In the words of Wystan Hugh Auden, he said, “Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd: Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.” Today, we see poets pushing for equal rights in so many areas, so the process continues. The initial stage begins when people who are unhappy with the status quo begin persuading other people that change is essential. The people who are the most persuasive are usually the ones with the best command of the language. Henceforth, most social advancement began with the greatest speakers and writers like Abraham Lincoln and/or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who showed repeatedly that they were able to change the world for the better through their voices! We reflect on the movie “Voices in Wartime” and we notice the strong impact made by the “Anti War Movement” where poetry is used to encourage poets from around the world to come together and create a dire need for change. Throughout the centuries, poets have had some keen words to share about the 'art of war' and the realities and/or tragedies of wars.

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