Srii Sridhara Rao - I could not have said the state of affairs any better.
When I saw the word modern, I sometimes wondered what constitutes in
critics' minds word 'modern'. Does non-chando poetry comes under modern -
surely that was there before. Viplavaatmaka kavita - modern. That was
there all the time - As along as there are people and poets there are
always social problems to complain about. Or just the criticism of the old
poets and their poetry constitutes a modern. - In chando or non-chando
poetry there is beauty if it does not - as srii syamala Rao put it - 'fall
flat'. Viplavaatmika kavita has its role to solve temporal social problem
-and paritcularly will be appreciated most by those who are in the midst of
the problem one way or the other. But I believe it will be short lived - I
appreciated the comments of Volga as posted by Srii kanaka prasad - "
Social mission will only add depth to literature. A large part of
literature coming out of a socio-literary movement can indeed be of a
lesser quality". ( But what I appreaciate most in her, as I get to know
more about her, is not only she is bringing out the social problems through
her literature - she is making efforts to solve the problem. Now I am eager
to read her stories).
Yes, as she says- it does add to the depth - but social mission by itself
is not sufficient to make poetry better. And I do think it is neither
necessory nor sufficient.
I must also add that poetry can also "fall flat" wether it is chando or
non-chando. Pada laalityamu along with bhavam has to be there to radiate
its full beauty. This is my openion - where it counts!
Personally there is nothing modern or unmodern about the poetry. It is as
old as the music. Taste keeps changing. That which is beautiful will
always last long. That is the only litmus test.
Hari Om!
Sadananda
K. Sadananda
Code 6323
Naval Research Laboratory
Washington D.C. 20375
Voice (202)767-2117
Fax:(202)767-2623
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What you have is His gift to you and what you do with what you have is your
gift to Him: Swami Chinmayananda
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