Appreciating poetry

I WISH to thank Raynav Chand, Tevita Rabale and many readers who enjoy reading my poetry in The Fiji Times. Many find poetry difficult. But poetry is enjoyable and liberating. Poetry has always been a part of human life. Poetry is an imaginative awareness of experiences expressed through meaning, sound, and word choices so as to evoke an emotional response.

Emotions play a critical role in how we live our lives.

We feel emotions every day, almost every minute, not always consciously. The choices and decisions we make, the actions we take, and the perceptions we have are all influenced by the emotions we are experiencing at any given moment.

The term poetry comes from the Greek “poeio” meaning “I create”. A poem can deal with an idea or concept that is difficult, intriguing, exciting, disturbing, meaningful, complex and controversial. Poetry can connect us with our past, immerse us more deeply in our present, and project us into futures never before imagined. This is why poetry can be heart blowing as well as mindblowing. It is meant to inspire readers and listeners to connect more deeply to themselves. A reader may respond to a poem in his/ her own way according to his/her experiences, understanding and situation; and the reader has the freedom to interpret the poems from his/her own perspective.

Poetry has the ability to break all writing rules, create its own structure, and transform raw emotions into words. With the music of verse, richness of description, the wonder of creative imagination, marvels of metaphor, and the depth of emotions, poetry can educate, motivate, and enlighten us.

I thank all the readers for dedicating their time to read my poems. Please accept my gratitude, respect and thanks to all the readers.

BHAGWANJI BHINDI Nasinu