Writing contrasting views on reading poetry – ICSE Language

Writing Contrasting Views – 1

Creative Writing – 18

Reading poetry does us great harm by distracting our mind towards unwanted things. It shouldn’t be part of compulsory syllabus in school level. Support and oppose.

Support

The world is being competitive at a furtive pace. From farmers to factory workers, from scientists to soldiers, we all are moving inexorably towards a 24X7 life, where our performance in numbers measures how good we are at our work. We may like it it or not, very few amongst us has the time that Tagore, or Tennyson had to create something moving, from nowhere. Poets like Robert Frost or Wordworth swayed the world with their poetry, but, frankly, how many of us have the time and mental space to enjoy such ethereal beauty?

Sadly though, the days of poetry are gone. This is the era of robots, genetic engineering, space exploration, and nano technology. We are all measured in numbers – how many we produced, or cynically, how many we killed. In such a hurried time, poetry is a redundant art. Spending time on poetry is like succumbing to the spell of opium. It’s a distraction.

Islam proscribes poems and music. The Prophet felt indulging in poems and music makes the mind weak, and distracted from Allah. We may argue on the veracity of this sermon, but we must concede that poetry makes no economic sense. So, the sooner it is removed from curriculum, the better. [235 words]

Oppose

Humans are not machines: they have a mind, and a soul. God has given us the gift of emotions. We are capable of feelings. Tigers, Crocodiles have none of these. Poetry and poems are integral to our living. Babies listen to lullabies to fall asleep, pupils sing prayers to start their day, soldiers listen to martial songs before going to battle, and we say our prayers through hymns. When we are depressed, and lost, we read poetry. In the rush to produce more or kill more, or sell more, can we forsake poetry? It will be like cutting off the umbilical cord before a baby is born. Romance, love, grief, pride, sermons, all are best conveyed through poetry. How will be this world without Kalidasa, Shelly, or Byron? A dead wood, possibly. Can we ever imagine our national anthem said in few lines of prose? The Bhagvat Gita, Ramayana, Bible, Guru Granth Sahib are all in the medium of poetry. This is because poetry touches our heart better than prose does.

So, let’s not race towards making this world a barren place. So, instead of writing the epitaph of poetry, let’s sing its glory.  [195 words]


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