What is Poetry
What is Poetry
Poetry is the oldest form of literature. It was known among the ancient people of Babylon, Greece, and Rome. It was recited to music in the old castles and manor houses of medieval Europe by the Celtic bards, the minstrels of France, the scalds of Scandinavia, and the minnesingers of the Germanic tribes. Wherever men gathered together, whether in churches, camps, cottages, or halls, they were stirred by the poetry of psalms and canticles, the valiant tales of epic heroes, the romances of knights and ladies, or the love songs of the children of men.
Poetry is the oldest form of literature. It was known among the ancient people of Babylon, Greece, and Rome. It was recited to music in the old castles and manor houses of medieval Europe by the Celtic bards, the minstrels of France, the scalds of Scandinavia, and the minnesingers of the Germanic tribes. Wherever men gathered together, whether in churches, camps, cottages, or halls, they were stirred by the poetry of psalms and canticles, the valiant tales of epic heroes, the romances of knights and ladies, or the love songs of the children of men. From the records of history, we know that the bards and minstrels of ancient times were people of importance. They were warmly welcomed and lavishly entertained when they appeared at the court of a king. They were seated at the king’s table, and when the feasts were over, they were asked to speak. Often they spoke to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument. One of these was the lyre, from which comes the word lyric, which today names a kind of poetry.
Why? Why were the ancient bards held in such high esteem? They were not men of action; usually they did not lead armies to war. They were not famous for feats of strength or courage. Why were they heroes of a sort? The power of the bard was the power to arouse feelings in his listeners. He could make them forget their failures of today by reciting the triumphs of the past. He could make them feel that the sorrows of the moment were nothing compared to the tragedies of other people in other times. He could put into words, as his listeners could not, the awe and wonder they felt in the beauties and tragedies of the world.
As we think of poetry in the ancient world and in our own, two things stand out. First, poetry is to be read aloud. Second, poetry has to do with feelings.