Is being a poet a dead occupation?

Byron · Post by **Byron** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 8:00 pm

Excuse me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it the Greeks who used to execute poets, because they had that human characteristic which all totalitarian states fear, namely the power to think and express their thoughts, which others could learn from?

elazar · Post by **elazar** » Wed Dec 18, 2002 3:22 pm

byron,
i dont understand your statement

please explain.
salute
elazar

Byron · Post by **Byron** » Wed Dec 18, 2002 8:11 pm

Elazar, in ancient Greece there were times when the State feared any dissent from its citizens. The people had to be very careful about what they said about the society they lived in. The best people for putting thoughts, ideas, aspirations, criticisms and comment about life and the governments of the day were poets. They had a way with words. Words used in a certain way, at a certain time, in the right place can move nations. eg; Winston Churchill. The ancient Greek governments which feared dissent had a habit of arresting the citizens who dared to speak up, and quite often these would be the poets. They were executed. Even today, we have countries were any dissent is stamped on hard. eg; Burma. The nearest example I can think of in relation to the point I'm trying to make is probably Lorca. Words are wonderful tools to use, and in the right hands can be a source of influence. We are lucky to be able to spread our words across the world via the internet, which will have a far reaching influence on a scale undreamt of by those who went before us. The internet is bringing ideas and minds together as never before. This forum is a wonderful example of the exchange of views etc which we can all share. Although some contributors seem to use it mearly to vent their spleens. Oh dear, I've run off at the mouth again. I do apologise. I'll go and listen to Nina Simone singing 'Suzanne' which always brings me back to a happier state of mind.

elazar · Post by **elazar** » Wed Dec 18, 2002 11:12 pm

dear byron,
thank you for the explanation/history lesson.i guess what i wanted to know was what this has to do with the cosmos?yesterday we had a full moon here and i gazed at it and no thoughts of greece flooded my mind.
or on another level,even if the greeks are responsible for the knowledge of the cosmos does that mean we should make them taboo and scratch them from the record?i may be misunderstanding you completely and my apologies in advance.i dont think there is a conflict here.

whatever may be,lets live and let live.
saluté
elazar

Byron · Post by **Byron** » Thu Dec 19, 2002 9:32 pm

Dear Elazar I was not commenting about the cosmos in my earlier explanation about the ancient greeks. I was trying to explain that in ancient times and in certain countries today, educated people such as poets could be considered dangerous by a state that wanted to keep control of the masses of the population, by keeping them ignorant and uneducated. Poets who spoke up were often executed because the government wanted to keep control of the uneducated peasants and did not want them to be influenced by 'revolutionary ideas'. My point is that we can only now discuss matters like the cosmos because we have the freedom to do it, without being arrested for subversive views. I am happy to discuss the cosmos because we have the freedom to do it. Copernicus was hounded by the church for his views about the Earth. He did not have the freedom to even discuss the state of our planet, let alone the cosmos. You and I are free to express our views on whatever topic we wish to discuss. In my country, people used to be burned at the stake because they wanted the Bible to be written in English. I am not disagreeing with anyone in this forum, I am simply stating that we are free to have discussions and disagreements about anything, without fear.

George.Wright · Post by **George.Wright** » Thu Dec 19, 2002 10:30 pm

In recent times, Lorca was shot in Spain for being a poet and a homosexual.
Poets are disliked by the people in power as they lower the veil to the masses.
Georges

Partisan · Post by **Partisan** » Fri Dec 20, 2002 12:54 am

I see you are still with us George(s)........

p.

George.Wright · Post by **George.Wright** » Fri Dec 20, 2002 2:53 am

Good to hear from you
I've not yet departed this mortal coil
Merry Christmas, James
Georges

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Fri Dec 20, 2002 6:30 am

What an excellent, two-part exposition, Byron.....I enjoyed it very much. It also reminds me of Andrew's comment awhile back regarding writing poetry being one of the most dangerous things a person can do......that is a very loose paraphrase. Not sure if exposition's the right word, it's late....time to go to bed. Anyway, I enjoyed your two posts very much, and understand the point[s] you're making with them.

~Lizzytysh

elazar · Post by **elazar** » Sun Dec 29, 2002 7:50 am

dear byron,
thank you for putting that so well and clear.i couldnt agree more.
salute
elazar

Is being a poet a dead occupation?

Death and poets

Dead poets

Dead poets/cosmos

To Byron

To Partisan