Maybe The Poetry Of Alfred, Lord Tennyson Can Help

Want to lift you spirits? Well, how about this? - let’s learn to jot down some poetry - poetry can really bring a dull mind up, and help one see life from a whole new spectrum. Most of you reading this think you would only be wasting thy precious time reading poems and writing poetry - I beg to differ. Alfred Tennyson, Robert Bly, David Thoreau, William Blake, Emily Dickinson, James Joyce, Joanna Baillie - all great poets who found great dimensions in the use of the written word. These poetry lovers and many more just like them, see here: all about poets, thought man could, and can see more into his existence by expressing himself through the written word. Go there and find wonderful poets and consciousness-raising poetry that I’m sure will enlighten your mental state. Words can hurt - but they can also heal.

Poetry is founded not just on the the abilty to rhyme words, that’s not the sole reason or foundation for the creation of poetry. A poet attempts to convey his or her inner perception - their soul - regarding a given subject or subjects. Poems are his medium.They want to communicate their feelings in a direct way - away that can startle and confuse our so mudane minds. Take this, read this sampling from Alfred, Lord Tennyson(1809-1892):

“Ring Out, Wild Bells"

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out thy mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

See how this poet used his soul speech to take us whirlwinding through the mystical wonderland of a great poet, this is poetry to shake the “soul”. I bow to you in thankfulness, oh Lord Tennyson. You have just entered the inner sanctum of this great poets mind, time has no influence here, his dear words are as powerful today as they were when first put to paper in the year 1850 - be assured, time carries no strengh in these realms...dear one. And another by Emily Dickinson(1830-1886):

“A Day”

I'll tell you how the sun rose, -
A ribbon at a time.
The steeples swam in amethyst,
The news like squirrels ran.

The hills untied their bonnets,
The bobolinks begun.
Then I said softly to myself,
"That must have been the sun!"

But how he set, I know not.
There seemed a purple stile
Which little yellow boys and girls
Were climbing all the while

Till when they reached the other side,
A dominic in gray
Put gently up the evening bars,
And led the flock away.

How she touches the mind and senses so delicately, how we flow innocently into the living streams of her so fulfilling utterances. This be fine poetry, indeed. But, mind you; not all poetry is so lightening, so soft - some poetry hits like a sledge hammer - calling for movement, action on the part of its receiver. No...no...no...some poets seek to get us to act , to move in a certain direction. Oh yes, my friend, becoming a poet will take all of you and that is what life asks of us - ALL.