Poetry Establishes and Spreads the Good Feeling of Life
According to the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), Seyyed Mohammad Javad Sharafat, in an interview with the press headquarters of the 33rd Iran Book Week, referred to the place of poetry in cultural events and continued: There is a reciprocal and complementary relationship between poetry and cultural events. We live in a time when people buy fewer books and read fewer books, especially poetry books. Therefore, in cultural occasions, if an intelligent, purposeful, and attractive media, artistic program, or campaign is designed and implemented, it can help promote poetry and books.
He added: If a collection of good poetry books is introduced or special poetry events are held during Book Week and other occasions, the attention of interested people will be drawn back to poetry. As a result, when people seek out poetry and acquire poetry books, they are effectively giving importance to books as well. In other words, poetry and books can reinforce each other, provided there is proper policymaking, precise planning, and a coherent process to achieve this goal.
Sharafat continued by stating that poetry readings have their own followers, saying: Usually, when we talk about a cultural event, we mean a set of programs and activities held in the field of culture, art, or literature. Today, in many religious gatherings, poetry reading sessions are even formed independently.
The poet of the collection “Dust-Eaten Rain” continued: In the atmosphere of religious gatherings, it still sometimes happens that a poet recites poetry before the eulogist. In addition, there are events held specifically for poets themselves. For example, one can refer to the “Beloved of God” gathering, which is one of the Fatimid poetry gatherings. This program is met with significant public reception. The large hall in Qom where it is held has a capacity of about 700 people, but usually, there is no place left to sit, and people sit on the stairs and in the surrounding halls or follow the program standing.
He added: These programs show that enthusiastic audiences are still present in the realm of religious poetry. However, in other areas of poetry, policies have sometimes been incorrect, and we have not been able to reflect various aspects of life in the form of poetry. If vibrant, dynamic, and high-quality gatherings are created for branches such as social, romantic, or epic poetry, they can be met with public reception similar to religious poetry.
He stated: A clear example of this is the poems composed during the 12-day Sacred Defense. Works that reflected the true feelings of the people and expressed many of their unspoken words. Therefore, whether or not we have been successful in creating an effective connection between poets and people in these events is a matter that requires serious reflection and investigation.
This poet, stating that the expansion of reading culture and poetry currently faces challenges, said: In many areas, due to incorrect policies or today’s lifestyle, people spend most of their time on mobile phones and in virtual spaces. The result is that patience has decreased, and many prefer to see short content or simply grasp a concept from an image instead of reading text. This issue affects the reception of poetry and the patience for reading. Amidst all this hustle and bustle, poetry can be a painkiller, a comforter, and a source of joy for the human soul. Poetry can contain wisdom, ethics, and human themes and establish and spread the good feeling of life. If proper policymaking is implemented, poets can actively participate in events, and media and virtual spaces play a supportive role in this path, the result will be impactful. We currently see that some poets have popular works in virtual spaces. Now, if poetry is combined with media, virtual spaces, and other arts, it can undoubtedly find its primary and influential function.
Sharafat continued by stating that poetry alone cannot do anything specific regarding reading culture, and we are not supposed to solve all the world’s problems with poetry, adding: In the field of reading culture, if we have a good poet who publishes a high-quality book, and this book is so good that people pay to buy it, we have actually helped strengthen reading culture. But the reality is that such conditions do not currently exist. Today, people mostly read poetry in virtual spaces and on their mobile phones.
This poet stated: Poets are not like in the past either. When I attended poetry sessions, poets would bring their notebooks or books and read from them. But now, most of them read their poetry from their phones, not from memory. This change is natural and has affected the general behavior of society. If people are interested in a poem, they search for it in virtual spaces, find the poet, read their poetry, and follow them.
In another part of his speech, he referred to the importance of poets among people and continued: In the past, poets such as Hafez, Khayyam, Iqbal, and others made great contributions to reading culture and still have their followers. In the contemporary era, poets like Akhavan Sales, Forough Farrokhzad, Sohrab Sepehri, Ghaisar Aminpour, and others also had an important share in this field and caused at least two or three poetry books to be found in every home. Books that have, to some extent, helped the continuation of that culture.
Sharafat also stated that books have, to some extent, been removed from our lives’ basket, saying: It’s not just an economic issue. Books have become expensive, but many financially capable people do not buy books. It seems our solitude has been filled by things like virtual spaces. We no longer feel the need to refer to books because we get our information from networks and websites. When this culture becomes institutionalized in my life, even if I am financially well-off, I will still not go to a bookstore. I prefer to buy a newer phone with a more aesthetically pleasing screen and font.
He continued: This trend also applies to poetry. Sometimes poetry no longer finds its place among people’s pains. I might read a poem and feel good, but this good feeling must spread to people so that they are convinced to read or buy a poetry collection. However, such an event rarely happens because people’s pain is something else. The reason for Hafez’s lasting popularity is that he spoke of an eternal pain. If Khayyam is popular, it is because he raises questions that exist in the minds of all humans. We usually look at issues superficially. When we say “people’s pain,” our minds quickly turn to the price of the dollar. While there are deeper sufferings. If a poet truly understands pain and has lived it, they can create a feeling in their poetry that will stir several hearts and win them over.
Sharafat said: Our lifestyle has become devoid of books, and poets less often express deep words. For this reason, the reception of books, especially poetry books, has decreased. If people are interested in a poem, they usually read it briefly in virtual spaces. Perhaps they save or send it, or sometimes even shed tears with it.
Mohammad Javad Sharafat concluded by stating that the situation is better in the field of novels, adding: Novels usually have their fixed audience and market. In the children’s and young adult poetry section, the situation is also more favorable. Because parents buy books for their children to read to them, to distance them from mobile phones. This is something they do less for themselves. They feel that mobile phones are harmful to children but not to themselves. For this reason, the children’s and young adult book market is in a better situation compared to adult poetry.
