Poetry never dies, it only evolves with time

  • | Friday | 22nd September, 2017

In short, poetry never dies, it only evolves with time, observed those at Dakshina, a three-day meet of poets from South Indian states. I myself post my poems on social media, as it helps me get in touch with the audience easily and instantly. "And the young poets don't shy away from making their voices heard either. We can even send across one's poems as a whatsapp message. From blogs to YouTube videos, poetry is very much alive among us".And the advantages of social media are many when it comes to poets.

If it was kavitha cholllal (reciting a poem) earlier, it is now kavitha parayal (narrating a poem). And haiku poems which come in four to five lines are gaining popularity like never before. In short, poetry never dies, it only evolves with time, observed those at Dakshina, a three-day meet of poets from South Indian states. Organised by Ayyappa Paniker Foundation , the poetry festival explored the relevance of poetry in today's world and the evolution it has gone through.Getting the exact word you want to convey a thought is something the digital generation is passionate about. Rasheeda Salim, a blogger and techie, says, "We are moving towards a world where the smell of a book from the library down the corner is becoming a memory, for those born after the 90s. However, there is nothing like a handwritten, witty rhyme. Printed letters can never touch your heart like handwriting."Rasheeda, who blogs under a pen name, says that the most popular among the online poets are Lang Leav and Atticus, who play with beautiful words in crisp verses. "More than fiction, poetry stays alive in the hearts of urban souls, through blogs and other interactive media."And the young poets don't shy away from making their voices heard either. Gouri RS, a degree student at Fine Arts College, Thiruvananthapuram, says, "We have a virtual group called 'Altius' where more than 100 youngsters from various parts of the State present their own poems as well as rare and lesser known ones. This platform has helped us nurture our love for words."Haiku poetry is the most popular style these days, though it is the riskiest as well. Writer and scriptwriter Unni R says, "The 70s were the most revolutionary period for poetry. One might think poetry is less popular now but actually there are more forums to express one's thoughts now. The subjects for the new age poets range from longing and lost love to revolution and most recently, the death of Gauri Lankesh."Acclaimed poet and president of the Ayyappa Paniker Foundation, K Satchidanandan , is of the opinion that a majority of the poems today cannot be recited as they are not written with a vritham. "The passage of time has changed the nature of poetry. Poets have ditched the conventional patterns and longer poems, like in the olden days. All you need is a feeling or a mood to write a poem now. But a love for letters is still very much existent in the new generation."However, unlike the previous generation, the present ones don't want to be just poets, points out Anil Kumar, a research scholar at Kariyavattom. "Poetry is just part of their lives. Social media gives them the space and an audience. From blogs to YouTube videos, poetry is very much alive among us".And the advantages of social media are many when it comes to poets. Meera Nair , writer, dancer and poet, says, "Brevity is the key in new age poetry . I myself post my poems on social media, as it helps me get in touch with the audience easily and instantly. I don't need to wait for a publisher now. Also, poetry is now situational. We can even send across one's poems as a whatsapp message. For the same reason, more people are turning poets, whether they are talented or not." While for Meera, her state of mind is the subject of her poems, four-line poetry could talk about anything, from societal issues, religion, nature, and even death, she says.

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