Message through poetry
Kanaka P Saripalli (prasad@grove.ufl.EDU)
Tue, 9 Jan 1996 09:00:57 -0500 (EST)
This is in response to Katta Murty gari Appeal. Your appeal was about
population, but it raises an interesting general issue: can you send
social messages through literature. If so, how do you do that. I think
of three examples from modern telugu literature. Viplava geyalu,
Sankshema geetalu (about family planning) and Christhava bhakthi geetalu
(Christian songs). These mostly are lyrical poetry, sung for AIR
and also at organized meetings. In the literary circles, many of the
Viplava geyalu enjoy respect, whereas the later are considered
propaganda. I always enjoyed these songs (in all three categories) with
a curiosity about how the poet delivers the intended message. (Gee, let
me add a fourth important class of 'message poetry': traditional Thathwaalu,
most of which is excellent poetry).
Among these songs, some turn out to be fine works of art, because
of their poecy, music and an honesty of feeling- thought of the poet
which somehow becomes very transparent in the song-poem. Add to this a
suitable tune (appropiate for the Bhavam being delivered) and an
'honest'(committed or believing) singer, and you have an excellent song.
And when the poet and the singer/musician are all in one person, you
couln't ask for anything more. Some of the songs by Annamayya and
Thyagaraja are supreme examples of such art, and, in our times, the
songs by Gaddar. Gaddar is a poet/singer/musician-par-excellence, and in
his hands, a well-beaten theme like revolution seldom fails expression as
great poetry and song.
The converse also is true. No matter how gifted or accomplished
a poet is, if (s)he doesn't believe in what he is trying to deliver,
(i.e. his mindset is not truly reverberating and is in unison with the
message) the poem-song smacks of mediocrity. Likewise, you can say that
a feeling or experience that is very real to the poet still fails the
reader/listener if music and poecy are weak. So, to deliver any message,
be it population control, mysticism, thathvamu, revolution or existential
angst, that message has to be burning with great intensity in an artist's
mind, who is very gifted at the same time. This must be a statistically
rare coincidence, this convergence of qualities in one person, and even
in that lucky person it is not permanent but fleeting. Even great poets
have written their share of lousy poetry.
You can have a very enjoyable discussion about other fiction
(stories etc.) and non-fiction. I must go now.
Kanaka Prasad