A Look at the Best Love Poems Ever Written

Love has a complexity, multiplicity and diversity of expression

A look at the best love poems ever written triggers the question, "What does love poetry signify for the contemporary era? To this question, one might only respond, "Love has a complexity, multiplicity and diversity of expression."

At best, each and every love poet throughout the entire course of history, has been given only a fragment of love's expression, to share in the form of poetry.

Here are some facts to take into consideration.

No single love poet can ever claim the exclusive title of love poet.
No single love poet can claim to have ever written the best love poem in the world.
No single love poet has ever written love poetry, that contains all there is to know about love.

This is all good, but where exactly does this leave the contemporary love poet?

The contemporary love poet is in the best position of all poets.

"Why is that?"

The horizon for future love poetry has not been closed. There is still room for further expression of love, in the form of love poetry.

Look briefly at some of the characteristics of the best love poems ever written.

The best love poems ever written express love in a way that reveals the reality that love, as a topic for poetry, has actually diminoed. In other words, it has stood the test of time, even while poetry written on other diverse topics, has fallen by the wayside, like dominoes that lean upon one another. When the first one falls, the rest all follow suit. A dimino, on the other hand, comes into existence from what appears to be non-existence. Love poetry, as a dimino, stands alone.

The best love poems ever written reveal love in its complexity, multiplicity and diversity of expression.

In other words, there are two identical love poems. Historically, each one that has survived the test of time, has stood, based upon its own merit. It is totally unique, in itself. Perhaps in some way, each poem acts as a stepping stone, for the next one.

The best love poems ever written show the true reality of love, as they do not depict pseudo-love or false love. They depict the true nature of love and may expose pseudo-love, in some way.

The best love poems ever written show a degree of revelation that some consider divine. Others attempt to negate its divinity. Love allows itself to be revealed in love poetry.

The best love poems ever written magnify love, rather than the love poet. In fact, some of the best love poems ever written, have unknown authorship.

The best love poems ever written show the reality love that lives on. It may be temporarily smothered or covered over, in some way, but it cannot die. Life is a part of the nature of love, just as love is a part of the nature of life.

What this suggests for contemporary love poets or for any future love poets, is the reality that love poetry does serve a purpose. Love poetry is written to magnify love. It has a future. Those who aspire to write love poetry will probably succeed in their quest, as long as their love poetry magnifies love.

Perhaps someday, someone will write the best love poem. Maybe it will be you? You may not be remembered, while your poetry passes through the generations of time.

The scope of love is so huge, that no love poet can ever hope to contain it all within one poem. What the contemporary love poet can do is to capture, in his or her love poetry, that fragment which has been allotted to him or her. It should be preserved and added to the greater picture of love, as a whole.

Why are So Many Poets Interested in Free Verse Poetry?

Infinity versus the symbol of infinity

In a world of change, where it appears that nothing is free, there is still free verse poetry.

"Why is that so?" 

"Why are so many poets interested in free verse poetry?"

If you ask a poet those questions, that poet may suggest a number of reasons why poets choose free verse poetry, as opposed to structured verse poetry.

These may include the following:

Free verse poetry has no obvious structural constraints with respect to meter, rhyme and rhythm.

Free verse poetry allows fuller freedom of expression for the poet.

Rhyming words can be time dated and quickly become obsolete.

Free verse poetry is fun to write, as it allows more poetic creativity.

Conceptual expression expands indefinitely, in free verse poetry.

Poetic horizons are limitless in free verse poetry.

One might also ask whether infinity can be constrained in a symbol used to depict infinity. 

The answer to that question would have to be, "No, of course infinity cannot be contained by putting it into the symbol of infinity."

Free verse poetry has an element of infinity to it, as opposed to structured verse poetry, which is more like the sign for infinity, rather than infinity itself, which never has any kind of constraints. In other words, if structured verse poetry is the symbol for infinity, free verse poetry is the concept of infinity depicted by the symbol. 

Conceptual awareness increases, as the free verse poetry is expanded upon, in poetic form.

Perhaps in some mysterious way, there is some unknown element in free verse poetry that we don't comprehend fully, even though we enjoy it. Maybe the only time that we recognize it, is when it is realized in our own freedom?

Maybe there are times when free verse poetry precedes structured verse poetry and vice versa?

It would appear that a poet does not always know exactly what format poetry his or her poetry will appear in, when he or she is inspired to write. It may come forth unstructured, structured or a combination of the two. The task of the poet is merely to pen the poetry on paper or to put it into some format where it can be retained. Unfortunately, that is not always done and the poetry disappears in the wind.

The writing of free verse poetry is a mysterious, literary phenomenon, in many ways. It comes into being, at the most unexpected times and for some unknown reason.

Some might suggest that being able to write free verse poetry is purely a gift, that has been given to but a few. Others might argue that anyone can write free verse poetry. Perhaps there are both kinds of free verse poetry?

Not every poet can write free verse poetry or structured verse poetry, either.

Many people with literary backgrounds never write any kind of poetry, either free verse poetry or structured verse poetry. If they do write free verse poetry, it may be masked in other writings, as they do not put it into a recognizable structure for poetry. It may be incorporated into their prosaic works instead.

Why are so many poets interested in free verse poetry?

Maybe the bottom line is the reality that human beings are curious about the phenomena of life itself. 

We all seek love, too. Love is found in free verse poetry and in structured verse poetry. It is love that satisfies the quest of the human mind and soul. Maybe that is one of the reasons why we still have free verse poetry. Somehow, it meets a need.

Maybe we will never have a better answer than that.

Religious Poetry and Its Place in the Modern Poetry Canon

When love is the primary focus, religious poetry is significant

When love is the primary focus of religious poetry, then religious poetry is significant, in the modern day, poetry canon. If religion is the primary focus that may not be true.

In order to expand upon this further, examine the meaning of the word canon.

The word canon, derived from the Greek word kanon, dates back to before the twelfth century and pertains to rule, model or standard. With respect to the usage of the word canon, when referring to modern day poetry, it is used in reference to the authentic works of one writer in particular. It can also be used in the context of a specified group or a body of works. There is a criterion that involves a degree of judgment. A body of principles that meets standards or norms, has to be taken into consideration also. (1)

There are those who argue that religious poetry has no place in the modern day poetry canon, while others would insist that religious poetry is of primary significance.

Why is there such a polarity of thought? 

Is it possible for humankind to delegate a place for any specific kind of poetry, in the canon of modern day poetry? 

There will always be those who attempt to do so. The problem dwells in the reality that man's best attempt to place anything under a man made rule, always falls short. No human being can declare or enforce a rule, that states there should not be any religious poetry in the modern day poetry canon. There might be a few people who try to create that kind of legislation, but there will always be others who will never accept it.

One of the primary arguments against religious poetry has to do with the possibility of offending other cultures from different religions or religious belief systems. We live in a world where there are many possible religions, but in reality, each culture has some concept of the divine and a religious belief, of some kind. This is true in northern, southern, eastern and western cultures.

While there are many different religious systems and practices, each culture has someone or something, that is considered worthy of worship. This becomes the focus of that particular culture. Whoever or whatever is deemed worthy of worship becomes loved, so love surfaces in every culture, all around the world. It may have many different manifestations. There is a complexity, multiplicity and diversity of expression, with respect to the word love.

This changes the focus of religion to some extent, because it is love that is central in each situation, not religion. While cultural poetry focuses on whatever the culture advocates as its primary love, the word religion may not be recognized, as having any value or merit.

Not many cultures would suggest they love religion, but every culture has some concept of love. People love other people, nature, the elements or even their deities. Love is an orthodox global concept.

When love is the focus of the religious poetry, then religious poetry plays a significant role in the modern day poetry canon, all around the world. Where religion is the primary focus of religious poetry, that may not hold true, even though it may mean the same thing.

Christianity focuses on the love of God and one another, even as "God is love."

What more is there to be said? In the modern day poetry canon, religious poetry that focuses on love is significant and always will be.

(1) Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Inc., Springfield, MA, 1983

The Flight of an Eagle

To what height does an eagle soar

Beyond the world and even more?

Is there one man who's keeping score?

What mystery the mind does pour

Though grounded on a human floor;

Sometimes it's peace, but oft it's war.

Who holds the key to wonder's door?

One apple, peeled right to the core;

A truth that some will e'er ignore

Though traces lie within folklore

Still coupled in a lion's roar;

The human book, that page, who tore?

Creative Imagination: Where Do Ideas Come From?

Revelation in a rainbow versus a rainbow

Human beings don't know exactly where ideas come from or originate. We get ideas in our mind and they trigger our creativity. As we become increasingly inspired by them, we begin to create and that is good.

What is an idea?

The freedictionary.com suggests that an idea is "something, such as a thought or conception, that potentially or actually exists in the mind as a product of mental activity."

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/idea

There are different kinds of ideas. Some seem to be divine ideas, while others are human. At best, a divine idea is accessible only in part, by a human being. By its nature, it would appear to be idealistic. On the other hand, a human idea would less accessible or idealistic.

The question becomes one of whether they are both part of a larger whole. The divine idea may contain or encompass the human idea. It would be the greater of the two ideas; the human idea would be the lesser of the two. If this is true, then ideas come from the divine, as the ultimate source of all things. Those who do not believe in the divine or the realm of the divine, would only have a non-divine realm to draw ideas from for creative inspiration.

Being aware of the reality of the divine, opens a realm of ideas that would appear to be much broader in scope. In other words, ideas could be perceived as coming from both the divine realm and the human realm. Those who choose to negate the divine realm would limit their ideas to the human realm.

Some suggest that ideas are always transcendent and that may be perceived or acted upon only in part, by human beings. Human beings would only be able to recreate a transcendent idea as a representation, which would be imperfect, at best. Even a creative inspiration derived from a transcendent idea would be imperfect.

Consider these examples.

If a person believes in God, he or she might suggest that his or her creative inspiration comes from God. A person who does not believe in God, would have to deny that and credit the creative inspiration to what he or she does believe in. An example of this might be nature. A believer would perceive God in nature; a non-believer would see only nature. Creative inspiration would reflect the realm of belief or unbelief.

A person who believes in God would probably see nature in a different light, than a person who does not believe in God. He or she might find creative inspiration in the form of a revelation in a rainbow, while the person who does not believe in God, sees only the rainbow.

A person who believes in God might see his or her inspiration as coming directly from God's Holy Spirit. God's Spirit or His Self is understood by believers to dwell in human beings, as well as in the divine. A person who does not believe in God, would see his or her inspiration coming from his or her self.

Since no two people see exactly the same, whether they believe in the divine or not, there will always be variations in perception that are reflected in creative inspiration. One might have more perfected perception than another. Perhaps one person's understanding of the divine is on a higher plane than another's. Similarly, on a human plane, there could be higher and lower levels of perception.

Even those who believe in the divine may believe in some areas, but not in others and so, there could be another difference in perception. The creativity could be on a different level in some areas, as opposed to others. The same could be said about those who do not believe in the divine. Their perceptions could vary because they see differently, in certain aspects of their lives.

Then there is the realm of the actual creative expression itself. For some people, that realm is far more perfected than it is for others. Perhaps one person sees more light than shadows in his creative expression, while another sees more shadows than light.

In terms of the literary realm, some people appear to create what appears to be brilliant illumination of creative or inspirational thought, while others portray everything in terms of darkness, lacking both creativity and inspiration.

A truly creative writer will never run out of inspiration, as creative inspiration can come from anywhere or anything, at any time or in any place. A person who is less creative, will frequently encounter a mental block and be unable to find any creative expression, no matter where he or she is.

Creative inspiration is developed over time. As a person works from his or her creative inspiration, the realm continues to expand and is developed further. If a person is a love poet, the more poetry that he or she writes, the more love poetry he or she will be able to write. If a person writes prose, the more he or she writes, the more he or she will be able to write. This becomes a progressive, developmental or maturity aspect of creative writing. A person with higher creative skills finds it easier to write, than a person who has fewer creative writing skills.

Where do our creative ideas come from? Ideas may appear to come from anywhere, but ultimately, God is the source of ideas, since He is creativity and inspiration personified, whether He is perceived that way by human beings or not.

The Art of Haiku: The Love Poet and Haiku Poetry

Fire, love's passion, cries -

Water, to cool the hot earth

And warm the cold air!

The love poet has an affinity for haiku poetry as an art because the love poet loves nature and the pure passion that nature's moment frequently inspires.

Originally, there were four elements that were understood to compose the physical universe, namely fire, water, earth and air. While they each can stand alone, they are linked together as one, by the power of love or by nature or nature's love.

Haiku poetry is an ancient form of Japanese poetry, written in seventeen moras or on. It is penned as three metrical phrases with five, seven and five onji or short syllables. It contains a kigo or a seasonal reference. It has a kireji or caesura which is a break, at the end of one of the three lines. As a whole, it is complete in itself and becomes a powerful statement about nature. Haiku poetry is not written in rhyme and is contained in three lines. Free verse haiku may be less structured. (1)

Love poetry has the same kind of fire and fiery passion triggered poetically, in the heart and mind of man, by nature's sudden or dramatic self-manifestations. Love poetry has its negative passions, just like nature, which often manifests its inherent and unpredictable, violence and fury.

Love poetry is a celebration of life, portraying the fullness of pure and impure passions. It may be exploited in the hearts and minds of man, but we always have to remember that any love poet is still a human being, subject to imperfection, even while he aspires to perfection.

"God is love." 

Pure, poetic perfection is found in the divine realm. Love poets, as exemplary poets, focusing on the theme of love, attempt to portray in mere human words, the divine elements of pure perfection that appear to surface as haiku poetry.

The haiku writer often pens his words, in what seems to be a state of wonder. They may be few in number and quite profound at times, like those found in poetry recognized as being poemic.

The poemic realm precedes the poetic realm. Haiku poetry may be more a part of the poemic realm, than the poetic realm, although it is part of the poetic realm, too. This may have to do with its brevity and profound expression, realized in a minimum number of words.

On the other hand, a love poet may find his or her inspiration in a piece of haiku poetry and expand upon it further and develop it into a full length, love poem. A prose writer might expand it further yet.

Love poets often write unique love poetry based upon the day to day, miraculous and wondrous phenomena of nature. Both the poemic and the poetic elements tend to surface in the writings of the love poet. Sometimes what is written appears to be relatively simple poetry, but at other times, it may become extremely complex, like nature itself.

There are variations of haiku poetry, found all over the world. That should not surprise anyone, as expressions of any kind of love poetry are world-wide phenomena. Wherever people are, they will be touched by the beauty of nature or its negative aspects. They will write about it, however they can.

Love poets write love poetry about what they love. Not all love poets write about love in a positive way or metaphorically with respect to nature, as portrayed in its robe of beauty. Love poets also write about the tragic elements of both love and nature.

But, love and hate are central in life's tenuous balance and they appear to be found in nature's realm, in conjunction with the fear expressed by animals. Fear initiates hatred and the desire to kill, even in human beings, whereas animals may kill for their own survival or for food. Joy and sorrow may be part of nature's realm, too. Think about robins feeding their young. There may be joy there and sorrow, if even one is lost.

All of these emotions may be considered as an inherent part of the art of love poetry, found under the guise of haiku as an art, even though we may not think about haiku this way. The four elements, fire, water, earth and air, reveal this to be true, at least metaphorically speaking, as the love poet paints with words, expressed in the form of haiku poetry.

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku

Valentine's Day: Is Valentine's Day a Sad Day for Singles?

Valentine's Day: A day of expectation for singles

Is Valentine's Day a sad day for singles? Is Valentine's Day only for those who are not single? Should it always be regarded as a sad day for singles?

The status of being single on Valentine's Day appears to be something that might be perceived as presenting or depicting a sad situation, but it is something that can be rectified on or around Valentine's Day.

Interestingly, Valentine's Day has no rules! That mischievous character, Cupid, did not pen any rules or regulations for potential or existing lovers. Perhaps that is not entirely true, as there is one guiding principle with regard to the celebration of Valentine's Day. It is summed up in one word and that word is love.

Love is...

Everyone enters and leaves this world as unique individuals. At any one time, many people are in the status of being single, for one reason or another.

Love still is...

Not being single is a status that is acquired as one approaches and enters his or her late, teen years or young adulthood and then marries. Courtship is an important part of the transition from being single to being not single or married. It is always an ongoing process, as well as an important part of maintaining a happy marriage.

The transition from single to not single should be fun for everyone, particularly potential lovers, before and during their relationship.

The Cupid-Valentine's Day scenario can be part of this, although some may regard the celebration of Valentine's Day as sheer nonsense. But, love can be perceived in many unique and wonderful ways. In love, there is invariably joy and sorrow, as well as fear and non-fear. At times, there may be some degree of pain, either real or imagined.

Singles and non-singles alike, share the entire gamut of emotions.  The Cupid arrow can pierce anyone's heart, in a way that opens it and changes one's status from being single to not single.

Love is something mysterious and wonderful for singles and those who are not single. Opening one's heart to someone else can seem to be a frightening experience, but it does not have to be, as true love calms fear and heals sorrow and pain.  It brings joy and peace.

Single is only one status in life, one that may be temporary. Valentine's Day is always a day of expectation for singles, one that is full of new dreams and the promise of hope.

Enjoy the celebration, as Valentine's Day does not have to be a sad day for singles.