Dragonflies from the sun... (James Broughton)

'...Poets are not gnats in the wind.
They are dragonflies from the sun.
Come, burn your bliss in midair.
You are more needed than you know.
Be arsonists of the phoenix next
and glow!'

(James Broughton)

I thought this would be a good opportunity to share a little about where I have come from and what guides my practice...

I began writing and reading poetry as a small child. The way it spoke entranced me and I knew from an early age that this was the basis of my life. Later, I discovered the power of poetry to save lives, in this case – my own. More than that, I discovered the value and importance of poetry in empowering of the individual voice and in allowing the silent to speak out. The basis for my work has always been the firm belief that poetry is a vital part of our human expression and that, as such, it lives within every human being and is accessible to every human being, irrespective of education, literacy, culture or any other social, physical, mental or psychological condition. More so, it is often a vehicle for those who are under-represented, marginalised or un-heard to speak out. In her poem, This Poem… Elma Mitchell takes a wry look at the radicalism of poetry.

This poem…

This poem is dangerous: it should not be left
Within the reach of children, or even adults
Who might swallow it whole, with possibly
Undesirable side-effects. If you come across
An unattended, unidentified poem
in a public place, do not attempt to tackle it
Yourself. Send it (preferably, in a sealed container)
To the nearest centre for learning, where it will be rendered
Harmless, by experts. Even the simplest poem
May destroy your immunity to human emotions.
All poems must carry a Government warning. Words
Can seriously affect your heart.

Poetry is no fluffy toy; poetry is an explosive bomb, ready to blow apart our prejudices, our misconceptions, our busy-busy brains. Listening to a poem, reading a poem, writing a poem, creating a poem – not only connects us back with parts of ourselves, it connects us to each other, and to what it is to be human. It awakens something in us that the keepers of the status quo would probably rather stayed asleep. That is the power of all creative exploration. It has the potential to turn our lives upside down.

Poem 1

To do this
will change everything.
See? Already the clouds
are rolling backwards.

(from Fragile Bodies, V. Bennett WWP 2004)

Why is it so important to leap in though? Why bother?