The Everlasting Throes Of Those

The Everlasting Throes Of Those Who Argue about Poetry versus Prose And about the Propriety or Crime Of Meter and Rhyme In Poetry: as I see it, it’s back to the ancient Greek idea of three near-absolutes – Truth, Beauty and Goodness and although they’re all absolute in their aim, and therefore theoretically equal, most of us, I suspect, have our personal order for this list those who put Truth first at all costs are more likely to write prose; but if they love beauty in words and have the urge to write something beautiful in words they may try poetry; but to them, rhyme is untruthful, dishonest, because looking for a rhyme becomes a crime: and leads your mind away from the strict Truth. while those who put Beauty first don’t have a fixed attitude – they may, as children do, love the formal music of hearing about A certain Mrs Dhutti Who was very slightly nutty She wouldn’t wear a saree As her arms and legs were hairy And thought it was much better To wear trousers and a sweater etc. or they may feel that their response to the world is so full of love, of awe, of wonder (of which Aristotle said the second and third are shared by philosophers, that is, lovers - note the word - of wisdom, and poets – though a poet may not know it…) where was I oh yes, their response to the world is most truly - note the word - expressed in free verse which may be better poetry or worse and what about Goodness – oh let’s not get into that: the poetry Forums are full of the emptiness (though it’s a necessary evil, looked at in a way) of poets and readers and critics saying what’s good poetry and what’s bad according to them and feeling they’ve made a contribution to Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, in that order by pronouncing this. some few, some worthy few, and I’ll mention no names for reasons not unconnected as Milton might put it with the previous stanza, whose brilliance of that servant mind which we all share, manages to juggle Beauty, Goodness and Truth, in that order in this instance, and not only juggle but remain faithful to them all; we could call them The Absolutely Great – they speak straight from heart to heart and they don’t worry about prosaic considerations like the above because they’ve got it all, all this, within their art; within their constant heart. (Readers, please note, that last line’s a quote.)