Part of review of a poetry book, I am working on:
Restraint is enemy of a poem. Restraint means poet is responding to the audience out of fear. Emotion, which are only true guide to take poet where no one has gone before are being navigated by an external force. Not being led by poet’s perceptions and longings for the world that poet wants to create, but by a world which already exists- the real world. This world subtly (not so infrequently violently too) nudges and manoeuvres poet to create her world in its own image. It pleases the real world if artist mimics it, a validation it seeks to justify status-quo. In the process turning a creator in to a copyist, stealing the powers of God from artist and turning her in to a human craftsman, who can cast only mannequins, forging beautiful bodies without souls, art that only follows the structure. The degree of art is the degree of rebellion that it leads against status quo.
All important act of creation is a mere game for the unworthy audiences, just entertainment. Therefore, audience from true art’s point of view is of no value. It’s the other way round. Creation speaks to select audience through art, but only if they are worthy. Artist is the chosen medium. Artist listens only to divine instructions, not to audience. Also, medium doesn’t choose what and how much flows through it; she has been selected by a far far higher wisdom for a reason, and lets go herself without any restraint. Artist is not guided by level of intellect or rules of morality of her audience. Artist is accountable only to divine and her responsibility is expression of divine inspiration in her art form to best of her abilities. It is on the audience to rise upto the level of art she produces. If otherwise, then whole purpose and meaning of art is lost, and pornography will rule the roost (sadly, it does), because that’s what average joe of the world wants..
-Pulastya
Restraint is enemy of a poem. Restraint means poet is responding to the audience out of fear. Emotion, which are only true guide to take poet where no one has gone before are being navigated by an external force. Not being led by poet’s perceptions and longings for the world that poet wants to create, but by a world which already exists- the real world. This world subtly (not so infrequently violently too) nudges and manoeuvres poet to create her world in its own image. It pleases the real world if artist mimics it, a validation it seeks to justify status-quo. In the process turning a creator in to a copyist, stealing the powers of God from artist and turning her in to a human craftsman, who can cast only mannequins, forging beautiful bodies without souls, art that only follows the structure. The degree of art is the degree of rebellion that it leads against status quo.
All important act of creation is a mere game for the unworthy audiences, just entertainment. Therefore, audience from true art’s point of view is of no value. It’s the other way round. Creation speaks to select audience through art, but only if they are worthy. Artist is the chosen medium. Artist listens only to divine instructions, not to audience. Also, medium doesn’t choose what and how much flows through it; she has been selected by a far far higher wisdom for a reason, and lets go herself without any restraint. Artist is not guided by level of intellect or rules of morality of her audience. Artist is accountable only to divine and her responsibility is expression of divine inspiration in her art form to best of her abilities. It is on the audience to rise upto the level of art she produces. If otherwise, then whole purpose and meaning of art is lost, and pornography will rule the roost (sadly, it does), because that’s what average joe of the world wants..
-Pulastya
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