Top 9 reasons to be happy about being a Baha’i poet.
Reason #1: Poetry Helps Us Read The Writings
Read ye the sacred verses in such measure that ye be not overcome by languor and despondency. Lay not upon your souls that which will weary them and weigh them down, but rather what will lighten and uplift them, so that they may soar on the wings of the Divine verses towards the Dawning-place of His manifest signs; this will draw you nearer to God, did ye but comprehend.
(The Kitab-i-Aqdas, paragraph 149)
Poets have a habit of reading poetry that is different from that of casual readers. A poet, on discovering that she likes a poem on first reading, immediately reads it again. She reads it out loud. On reading out loud, she discovers several new things that help her appreciate it even more. She reads it again, pausing more deliberately at the line breaks. She reads it again, rushing through the line breaks to the noted punctuation. She reads it again, and discovers several references to culture or history or mythology, deepening her understanding of the symbolism involved. She reads it again, savoring particular phrases that speak to her in new ways. The poem stays in her mind. Lines come to her at unexpected times during the day, fitting the moment and directing her thoughts. The poem becomes internalized, and this inner inspiration comes out in her own writing, transformed into something new.
All of us have been guilty, at some point, of fulfilling our duty to read the Holy Writings to the letter—and no further. But as poets, we have this wonderful discipline already ingrained in ourselves of reading deeply, of unlocking metaphors and allusions, of wondering about the implications of one word chosen over another. Even above this, we have a habit of reading with relish, enjoying language for its own sake, as well as for the sake of its author. Or, in this case, Author.
The very first unit of Reflections on the Life of the Spirit tries to teach this habit in a systematic way. How we fight it! But poets and thoughtful readers of poetry have so much experience in the area of deepening. If we bring this experience to the table and share our passion for the power and beauty of language, our study circles, our home visits, and our everyday lives can be be transformed. What a gift we have to share!
Next week: Poetry helps us see the world.
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