Shikdar Mohammed Kibriah,
Bangladesh
Progression of Poetry
Conservatism is a real bar for any progression. It creates traditionalism that makes everything a blocked universe in every sphere of life. The world is constantly changing, not static. So, our thoughts and all types of thoughtful activities and creativities are definitely motivated or dominated by the contemporary mood, demand and outlook that leads to our mood of action. It’s natural and so, positive. Therefore, we progressive minds try to break all types of conservatism and traditionalism. Obviously we will break the tradition. But how? Whatever the answer, a tradition will be stood before us as doing something in a process means it will turn once into a tradition. It means like that of traditionalism. In fact, in order to break a tradition, we have to follow a new process and when it is accepted massively, it will be a tradition. It may be well-planned, well-organized, integrated and solid; or may be scattered, disordered and weak.
However, the main object of breaking a traditional process is to make a better process that will be contemporary—comparatively more modern, developed, suitable and welfare-characteristic. This is true advancement and progress—a true process of serial evolution. But it should be said that removing an established tradition if a newly formed tradition would not be proved better than that of existing tradition, then it would be logically meaningless; or in the process of breaking tradition if the subject-matter, whole system or existence is at stake, then it will be totally suicidal.
Therefore, in question of breaking or opposing tradition it utmost needs to think freely and intellectually and carefully follow or apply the rules based on it. No, it is not a protection of conservativeness or a strategy of going back rather it is the reality of true progressive movement.
Ancient poetry was mostly rhythmic. But it’s not to be still-continued. Out of necessity we experience outstanding creativity of poetical art in prose-poetry. With the passage of time, poetry will be changed to a different form, pattern and style. It’s true but in every change poetry will be poetry if its distinction is sincerely and carefully continued. Nowadays abstract poetry is written through the prosaic version. It is accepted by the modern view. But if this process is overplayed with a view to making it more modern or realistic and so it is devoid of poetic abstract features, nature and image, then how this robotic poetry could be truly a poetry? No. As there will be no more poesy in that so-called poetry. It will be poetically soulless—skeletal poetry.
We obviously acknowledge that poetry is the most artistic type of literature. It means it is more skillful than all other types of literature such as articles, stories and novels etc.. Poetry is the bearer of an impressive mood that is really the element of aesthetic feeling. So, we often try to put a poetic mood in our prosaic creativity to make it more impressive. But we never tell it poetry. A tale may be poetically told in a poem through the distinctive style and form of the poetry. But in a story or a novel this tale is told in a different way.
Poetry, prose, story and novel all are distinct in nature and form. No need to confuse them with each other. If poetry is to be lengthened or elaborated like a prosaic composition, its future will be risky. Then, let poetry be experienced in its own arena. May poetry achieve progress and save its freedom in form, feature and nature. The nature and scope of poetry and prosaic literary works are clearly different. Therefore, it is quite unpoetic to call a prose composition a poetry.
“Rhyme or rhythmic composition is the poetry”—poetry was thought like that in the past. With the passage of time, we effectively experienced the appliances of different types of rhyming and rhythmically composed poetry that undoubtedly developed and enriched the history of our poetic movement. In composing modern prose-poetry, direct application of rhythm is not mostly visual but the innate resonance of rhythm is obviously existent which is felt while reading.
According to the zeitgeist, it can be said to be successful. But there is no logical scope of thinking rhythmic poetry obsolete or useless, because, a rhythmically penned poetry enriched with modern moods, words and rhythmic variations could be considered as a modern poetry. Similarly, with application of rhythmical variations postmodern poetry could be composed too. In fact, rhythm is not a barrier for modernity or postmodernity. It means it’s not actually any bar for poetic movement, progress or evolution rather it can claim to be newly experienced, developed, or achieved evolution to hold the zeitgeist in it. Therefore, as an inevitable element of poetry it should not be ignored anyhow. But it should be applied in the contemporary mood.
Above all, with a view to achieving progression in all spheres of life, we must bear in mind that conservatism or traditionalism obstacles the human progression and advancement of civilization and so, we utmost need to culture them but uprooting the foundation on which its existence is originated, stood, consistent and effectively existing with its creative flow.. True progression is never revolutionary. It’s, in fact, evolutionary. We should follow it in every aspect of life and all our lively activity and creativity like science, philosophy, art, literature, culture and so on. So, poetic progression should be achieved in the way of evolution that effectively combines the contemporary mood with the positive aspect of existing tradition.
