The Art Of Words

Cool beans. I'm getting a copy now. But I warn you, I'll say so if I think I think its no good. Thanks for the recommendation though. I love books too, especially the different POV of authors from different cultures writing inside and about their cultures.

To me, poetry is the ultimate expression of language. Some languages have greater ability with poetry than others, chiefly because they are inherently adept with meter. English is blessed in this regard. Poetry must be musical, otherwise it is simply prose with lined structure. I deplore what has become vulgar poetry these days. Vulgar, not because of the words or images conveyed, but vulgar because it is merely prose.

You tell me which has greater poetic appeal:

Awake, awake, in wake

Of my shroud terror

Pray this night while I take,

Breaking on my cross,

Your hated ghosts 

Abated by my blood,

O, grated souls,

So grateful of my blood.

Beneath the gray-hot sundown sky,

Cry, cry, the sundown,

Shriek the night!

or

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled saith, I thirst.

Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

The latter is from my own poetry; the latter quotes John 19: 28 - 30. The former was intended to be poetry, the latter was not, though they cover the same incident in the same timing. I make no claim that my composition is better writing, just that it is poetry, and exemplary of a poetic form, alliteration, while the other is simple, descriptive prose.

So what then is your point? That poetry is always preferable to prose? That prose is vulgar?

I think your example had the unintended result of proving that sometimes prose is superior to poetry in quality.

At their respective best, yes, poetry is better than prose, but only under that condition. Reason: poetry must employ polysemy, and meter. Yeah, I've seen poetry that has neither, but, then, what distinguishes it from poetry? Neither is really required of prose, though it can. There is bad poetry, and bad prose. Lord, I know that well enough. If rejection notices were dollars, hell, this would be an easy and profitable profession. It is, anyway, for me, but, my "win" percentage isn't what it could be. You won't necessarily see it in my writing here, which I consider more conversational than art, and it is a different voice employed.

Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum is wonderful. It is difficult to believe the original Italian could be better. Wow.

Thank you for that.

My pleasure. It is not an easy read, and it certainly challenges one to dig deep for understanding, not to mention the frustration of using unfamiliar languages in chapter headings, let alone i the text, but... now you know why it's my favorite novel.