Writing, // May 28, 2017

Poetry Still Lives and Shines — Luiz Valério

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Poetry still lives and shines —

In the current global editorial market, it can be observed that oftentimes a novel is considered (or treated) as some sort of Holy Grail of literature whilst other literary genres face a less glamorous status or, at least, do not receive the same level of appreciation by many readers.

 

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It is not uncommon, for example, that new writers strive to craft their first novel and have it published to be considered ‘true’ or ‘earnest’ writers by the market and sometimes even by close friends or relatives. Just for the sake of illustrative example, the moment you tell someone that you are a writer, chances are that the person may ask you what novel(s) you have already published. And all that not to mention the increasing trend of publication of book series (or sequels) in the style of “Harry Potter”, “The Lord of the Rings”, or “Twilight”, amongst many others.

It is also true that the common trend that many successful movies based or inspired by novels becomes an unquestionable attractive golden carrot to many people, whilst movies based on poetry or even poets themselves are rarer to happen (e.g.: “Reaching for the Moon” and “Il Postino: The Postman”).

 

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In addition to that, there are also several known cases where a successful movie based on a novel has contributed to leveraging considerably a writer’s career that otherwise would remain practically obscure or with a limited reach. And not due to lack of talent, but simply because the competition is fierce and there are millions of good writers out there. And as a consequence of that, other titles that the writer may have published previous to that successful novel also reach the stardom soon afterward.

Moreover, a closer look at any weekly or monthly bookshops’ best-selling lists published in major newspapers or magazines usually highlight predominantly novels rather than poetry. And overall this picture may, eventually, leads towards the wrong impression that poetry is not in the same orbit as novels.

Nonetheless, before the reader jumps to any conclusion based on those couple of paragraphs, my point here is not to cast doubts or negative criticism upon novel as a literary genre and neither their writers. Instead of that, the aim is, in fact, to praise poetry also as a literary genre that, contrary to what some people may consider, is as vivid and engaging as any good novel.

 

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Evolving from this, I do not see the subject matter in a better or worse perspective because I think that such comparative approach could narrow too much the conversation. They are different genres and as such, they convey their unique forms of communication between the author and the reader.

Amongst the many remarkable aspects of poetry as a literary genre, what I particularly find quite fascinating consists in the capacity to, oftentimes, say much with few words. Its lines are crafted in such a way that they master communication accuracy in short sentences, they are capable of triggering people’s emotions in short passages and make them reflect. Moreover, their lines can also address a myriad of topics in the most innovative and sometimes unexpected ways both in form and content.

 

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I assume that over time you may have had the opportunity to come across poems as short as a couple of few lines as well as others who are a few pages long. Nevertheless, even so, their power is there no matter their length. They can captivate you, challenge your common thinking, shake your point of view with regards to some topic, and make you laugh, cry or dream. In addition to that, they can sometimes make you feel that the author has written those lines especially for you or even inspired by your own personal experiences. Or, they can also comfort you in a sensitive moment, be your voice when you feel speechless to express something especial for someone you care of, and according to the subject, contribute to renewing your hope, energy and propel you forward. Or finally, they can make you turn your eyes towards subject matters that you had not thought about before. Anyway, the possibilities are limited only by the authors’ creative mind what means to say that there are no boundaries.

 

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Therefore, in conclusion, I say that poetry is not only full of a unique kind of inner energy and magnetism, but it is also absolutely lively and thriving even if the general public may not notice it as much as they notice successful novels given that this last one oftentimes gets more spotlight. So that, I just would like to leave you with the invitation to look closer around yourself, in the bookshop of your choice and even online, and (re)discover both new and established poets alike because I am sure that you will have remarkable moments of enjoyment, just as the same ones you usually experience whilst engrossed with your favorite novels.

 

 

 

 

Luiz Valério de Paula Trindade is a independent Brazilian author in the early stages of his writing career.

 

Links —

Website: www.luizvalerio.uk
Clube de Autores: http://clubedeautores.com.br/authors/140299
Apple iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/author/luiz-valerio-paula-trindade/id946586586?mt=11
Payhip:  https://payhip.com/luizvalerio