Poetry is one of the most primitive branches of literature. It is believed that poetry existed even when the people of the world had no knowledge of letters. Poetry has taken various forms in different eras. These different forms of poetry have evolved into different branches of poetry today. People’s interest in poetry never wanes. It is said that almost everyone has a poet within them. When a person expresses any of their thoughts, feelings, emotions, or ideas in a rhythmic manner, it becomes poetry. However, this is not a definition of poetry. Until now, no poet has been able to give a specific definition of poetry. Famous poets around the world have merely expressed their own thoughts when trying to define poetry. It is from these thoughts that we try to find a definition of poetry.
The world-renowned Greek poet and philosopher Aristotle said, “Poetry is more philosophical than history.” Here, he is referring to the expression of deep human thoughts through poetry and its vastness. The acceptability of his thoughts on poetry is very high, but it cannot be considered a definition of poetry.
Percy Bysshe Shelley, one of the leading poets of the nineteenth century, defined poetry as “Poetry is an expression of the imagination. Poetry is successful only when the poet is fully satisfied with his mind.” In his words, it means that poetry is a subject of human satisfaction. The description of the best moment of expression of the human mind is poetry. Many people have agreed with Shelley’s statement, and it is quite acceptable. However, it is not a complete definition of poetry.
John Keats, one of the most prominent Romantic poets in English literature, said, “Poetry should surprise by a fine excess, not by a simple excess. The reader should feel that this is his own highest thought, which had formed itself in the poet’s mind.” John Keats has expressed his thoughts about poetry in a more extensive way. He wanted to say that just writing something in rhyme and meter doesn’t make it poetry. Poetry will touch the reader’s heart and find their own thoughts in the poetry. Keats’s statement on poetry is meaningful but has relatively less acceptance. This definition of poetry is somewhat controversial. However, his idea is quite prevalent in the poetic community. So, many poets agree with Keats, saying that just writing something in rhyme doesn’t make it poetry.
Different renowned poets have defined poetry in various ways based on their own thoughts. For example, poet MacLeish says, ‘When we speak of poetry, we mean the art of using words in such a way as to evoke a dream in the realm of imagination.’ Poet Robert Frost says, ‘Poetry is a performance in words.’ Poet Coleridge says, ‘Prose is words in their best order. Poetry is the best words in the best order.’ Poet Edgar Allan Poe says, ‘Poetry is the rhythmical creation of beauty.’ Poet T.S. Eliot says, ‘Writing poetry is the agony of transforming blood into ink.’ Poet Wordsworth says, ‘Poetry is the breath and finer spirit of all knowledge.’ Poet Carlyle says, ‘Poetry is musical thought.’ These thoughts of renowned poets about poetry are very beautiful and acceptable. However, no one’s statement can be labeled as the definition of poetry.
Two more famous foreign poets have given two wonderful definitions of poetry. Poet Saint Augustine, based on his thoughts about poetry, says, ‘If you ask me, I know. If you ask me, I don’t know.’ Here, he means to say that we know what poetry is. When asked, it becomes difficult to define poetry. It seems that poetry is a mysterious, unknown thing that we don’t know. And poet Johnson says, ‘Poetry is metrical composition. The art of combining pleasure and truth, where imagination is called upon to help reason.’ Here, his statement clearly states that poetry is such an art that expresses truth with pleasure. And to express that, imagination is needed. From these two statements about poetry, we can get an idea about the depth and breadth of poetry, but they are not clear as definitions of poetry. Many people also agree, ‘Poetry is imitation of life, criticism of life, mirror of life’. This is also not a complete definition of poetry, it can only be considered as a concept related to poetry.
Alongside renowned foreign poets, our famous Bengali poets have also expressed their own ideas when defining poetry. We can learn about the definition of poetry from the concepts they have given. According to poet Humayun Azad, “That which cannot be fully understood, that which cannot be completely found in the heart, on the lips, in the blood, in the mind; that which will remain a mystery to the blood even after I am gone, that is poetry.” His definition is quite complex and he has not given any complete explanation of it. However, it can be easily understood with deep thought and understanding.
Poet Sikandar Abu Zafar said, “I write poetry effortlessly. Just as in everyone’s case, countless common and rare moments have unfolded in various forms before me in the course of life. Sometimes I have recorded the signatures of those moments without deviating from the truth. That is my poetry.” This is a very meaningful definition and is easily understandable. From this discussion, we can understand that whatever I see in front of my eyes and create through feeling and imagination is poetry.
Poet Buddhadeb Basu said, “Poetry is not a matter of understanding, it has to be felt. Because the poet probably does not write poetry deliberately, but only by keeping the subject in front, poetry is born from feeling it.” He has given a very simple definition of poetry. Here, he has presented poetry very simply. His definition suggests that poetry is not something complex. The poetic expression of human emotions and feelings is poetry.
According to poet Syed Shamsul Haq, ‘Poetry is the supreme expression of the supreme thought in the supreme words. The connection between the supreme thought and the supreme word can only create the supreme poetry.’ This definition is meaningful and widely accepted. Some similarities can be found between this definition and those given by some famous poets of the world.
Poet Rudra Mohammad Shahidullah, while defining poetry, said, ‘The writing that can bring back the memory or dream of the present and at the same time has the ability to transcend the present, perhaps that can be called poetry.’ He has given the definition of poetry with some doubt. However, the definition he has given is quite unique and meaningful. He wanted to say that poetry can capture the present and can wander in the thoughts of the future.
From the definitions of poetry given by famous poets, we cannot find any specific definition of poetry, but we can understand. Poetry is really not much to understand, poetry is only a matter of realization. If one can realize poetry, then poetry can be born. Poetry actually comes to the poet’s mind and after deep thought, it is born through well-arranged and ornate arrangement of words and poetic rhythms.
Even this may have different opinions, and that is natural.
We call those who write poetry, poets. However, there’s a debate around this. Many argue that simply writing something with a rhythmic structure doesn’t make it poetry. Thus, not everyone who writes can be called a poet. Even when asked, poets often struggle to provide a precise definition of poetry. This is because poetry cannot be confined to a rigid definition.
Poetry has appeared in various forms throughout history, and it will continue to evolve in the future. While there are many rules and conventions involved in writing poetry, the art form itself cannot be bound by strict rules and regulations. Different forms of poetry will have their own unique rules, but poetry will always remain open-ended. Poetry can never be confined to a specific definition.
