A brief, passionate book about the nature of poetry and its use in
the world Poetry doesn't matter to most people, observes Jay Parini
at the opening of this book. But, undeterred, he commences a deeply
felt meditation on poetry, its language and meaning, and its power
to open minds and transform lives. By the end of the book, Parini
has recovered a truth often obscured by our clamorous culture:
without poetry, we live only partially, not fully conscious of the
possibilities that life affords. Poetry indeed matters. A gifted
poet and acclaimed teacher, Parini begins by looking at defenses of
poetry written over the centuries. He ponders Aristotle, Horace,
and Longinus, and moves on through Sidney, Wordsworth, Coleridge,
Shelley, Eliot, Frost, Stevens, and others. Parini examines the
importance of poetic voice and the mysteries of metaphor. He argues
that a poet's originality depends on a deep understanding of the
traditions of political poetry, nature poetry, and religious
poetry. Writing with a casual grace, Parini avoids jargon and makes
his case in concise, direct terms: the mind of the poet supplies a
light to the minds of others, kindling their imaginations, helping
them to live their lives. The author's love of poetry suffuses this
insightful book-a volume for all readers interested in a fresh
introduction to the art that lies at the center of Western
civilization.
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