Claxton, John

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lO MANUSCRIPTSTO LIVE THE WORLD OF THE POETby John ClaxtonThe natural world of wood lot and field reflects little of man'spreoccupation with the computable aspects of our punch-card society.But it is often only in the realm of this natural element that the poetcan find the peace to pursue and the substance to enhance inspiration.Therefore, it follows that any understanding of poetry necessarily en-tails a comprehensible communication with the natural rather than anindiscriminate acceptance of the calculable. Perhaps this is the greatfault of provincial studies of poetry. In students' attempts to cate-gorize syntax into simple columns of convenience, in their reliance up-on Webster to answer any uncertainties, in their search for meaningsin minutiae, they have perhaps been blinded by the brightness of theirown knowledge, which has cast a shadow over the unpredictable crea-tivity of the poet. And I believe that this gloom of delusion can bedispelled only by a conscious effort to live the world of the poet.His world of experience starts with the rising of the sun. For thepoet greets the morning gold with optimism, with sensitivity, witheverything but that indifference with which millions recognize the ar-rival of just another day (usually manifested in a blank stare of dis-belief) - As his day continues, he may experience the uncomfortableride of a suburban commuter, yet still be amused by the genuine smileof a small child. He may experience the uncomfortable warmth of anafternoon sun, yet still take interest in the birdbath antics of a splash-ing sparrow. His world is one of total awareness, but even more im-portant, it is his task to instill this awareness in others by utilizationof his talents. For in attempting to verbalize the heightened emotionof a woodland kingdom pensively anticipating the blossoming morn,the poet can possibly initiate a spark of natural interest in mankind,Failure to live these experiences of the poet results in difficulty withand misunderstandings of the poet's meaning-c-tho prevalent pitfallof traditional poetry studies.The world of the poet is also manifested in places. Mountain,struggling streamlet, meandering cinder path-now rainy-day-thoughtsin the archives of his mind-these were once integral parts of a vividreality: not a weekend reality sought only for lack of other treasures,but a reality which is part of his daily experience. So how then canMANUSCRIPTS 11one expect to master the mysteries of the poet if he has not even metthe mysteries of the mountain? How can one expect to recognize theworld of nature while yet enshrouded in the blackness of the pedantic?However fruitless this pursuit may seem, it is practiced by every stu-dent of poetry who attempts to visualize Xanadu, the Lorelei, or thechateau of Chillon. Indeed, there is nothing sacred about the placesof the poet: they are common, they are easily found, and they have,at last report, neither ascended nor descended into oblivion. Perhapstheir merit lies in the very fact that they are so readily discoverable,an attribute which is apparently overlooked by many.Ultimately, the poet's world is inhabited by people--not peoplewho are fettered by the chains of society which are worn to restraintheir creative impulses, but people who choose to show their true selvesto this ignoble world. Having little faith in facades, these are people~ho kiss because they are in love, fight because they are angry, smilebecause they are happy. Indeed, the people of the poet are genuine.And only when we become more like the poet's people, becoming in-dignant of facades, disdaining the entanglements of artificiality, seek-ing meaningful relationships, only then can we rise into the saddle andride society-only then can we understand the secret of the poet.Therefore, the search for the meaning of the poem is not a diffi-cult one if the proper places are investigated. Do not search for themeaning in Webster, but rather in the awakening call of the mourningdove. Do not rely upon the dusty volumes of dormant scholars, butrather upon the immutable wisdom of an aged mountain. And ulti-mately, the truth of the poem can be found in the truthful man.

To Live the World of the Poet

http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2924&context=manuscripts

To Live the World of the Poet

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