World Poetry Day 2018

Today is World Poetry Day – poetry is something that crops up in all cultures and spans the depths of time.

Here is what the United Nations have to say about it – this date was designated World Poetry Day in 1999 sadly I think I only really found out about it a few years ago, I think around a decade after I found out about National Poetry Day UK which is in the autumn. With the world seemingly becoming more divided here in Europe I feel that this day is one I should use to reflect on our place in the global ecology of all things – science, art, health, economy and the environment. After all we are all in the same boat staying a float for the moment, to steal some Gotye lyrics there. We are all ridding a pale blue dot, space ship Earth and we are all so closely related genetically to each other, to the animals and even the plants aren’t that different to us and yet there is endless diversity which makes our world all the more richer.

A couple of weeks ago when I hosted Gloucesters International Women’s Day event I made the point that the day was not just about us – it was about the world hence the international part of the name. I re-emphasised that we have the freedom to write and speak and share our poetry even when it is against our government or religion etc… many poets globally end up in prison for this – writers in general. My own inlays spent time in prison and exile during the Apartheid regime in South Africa in part for creating a newspaper!

For sharing words.

And others in more recent times have been put to death, or imprisoned or are living as asylum seekers due to something we in this country (UK) see as a bit “sissy”, I have met a few of these poets and it is heart breaking, and a powerful reminder of the freedoms we take for granted – I will not call them a privilege because I feel they are a base right that is being denied to others.

So for me I shall be thinking on these things and sharing poetry through out the day on Twitter and hope that in some small way I can change the world for the better with words – I have to at least try and that doesn’t mean that the words have to all be positive words, sometimes negatives are needed to highlight the problems or as a form of cultural and personal catharsis (something the ancient Greeks did very well with their Tragedy/Comedy mixes).

Twitter handles are @Saffy and @TheMonsterBlogs

Posted: Wednesday, March 21st, 2018 @ 9:28 am
Categories: About Poetry, Festivals and Events.
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