Poetry – Part 1

History of poetryWORLDWIDE, poetry, as a form of human language, is celebrated. A special day is dedicated every year on March 21 as World Poetry Day, which Unesco first adopted during its 30th General Conference in Paris in 1999. The aim is to "support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increase the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard."World Poetry Day, Unesco says, is also "the occasion to honor poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, foster the convergence between poetry and other arts such as theater, dance, music and painting, and raise the visibility of poetry in the media." The celebration, as Unesco says, "brings people together across all continents." (https://unesco.org.uk/events/international-days/world-poetry-day/) Poetry dates back at least to prehistoric times. Today, poetry remains an important part of arts and culture.Poetry Day in the Philippines. In our country, apart from the World Poetry celebration, Poetry Day was celebrated for the first time on Nov. 22, 2022. Spearheaded by the National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario, the inaugural National Poetry Day aims to reignite the Filipinos' love for the literary genre in the First-Ever National Poetry Day. (nylonmanila.com) PhilSTAR reported that "This celebration also pays homage to the 128th birthday anniversary of Filipino poet Jose Corazon de Jesus, who is known for his poem, 'Bayan Ko.'" "Our purpose is three-fold: to promote the art of poetry, to raise the level of appreciation for Filipino poetry, and to honor Jose Corazon de Jesus and all patriotic Filipino poets," Almario said.With the theme "Ibalik ang tula sa puso ng madla" (Bring poetry back into the people's hearts), the first-ever National Poetry Day celebration put the "spotlight on at least 50 Filipino poets and performers at a live poetry marathon that took place at the Metropolitan Theater." (Virgilio Almario leads first-ever National Poetry Day celebration in November, PhilSTAR Life) "A book launch and poetry book fair [was] also held in the same venue.""The following year, the Quezon City government led the National Poetry Day 2023 November 22 celebration with two major events. First was the groundbreaking of the site where the Jose Corazon de Jesus statue was to be located. Second was the "Balagtasan and Timpalak Kundiman national finals held at the Quezon City Hall Risen Garden from 2 to 6 p.m. The general public was encouraged to watch these competitions; admission was free." (https://hypemaniaph.com/2023/11/17/ balagtasan-kundiman-finals-highlight-the-celebration-of-national-poetry-day-on-nov-22/)More on what poetry is. The Oxford Dictionary defines poetry as "a literary work in which the expression of feelings and ideas is given intensity by the use of distinctive style and rhythm." [History of Poetry: From 2,500 BC to Today (Complete) (wordwool.com)] It is a "form of artistic expression that uses language to evoke emotion, paint vivid imagery, and convey complex ideas. It is a means of communicating human experiences and emotions in a way that is both powerful and evocative." (https://www.poetry.com/article/what_is_ poetry) "Poetry is the literary expression of beauty and aesthetic feeling through the word in verse or prose. Like other forms of literature, poetry is written to share ideas and express emotions." It is "one of humanity's most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic expression."Throughout history — in every culture and continent — "poetry speaks to our common humanity and our shared values, transforming the simplest of poems into a powerful catalyst for dialogue and peace." As a literary work in metrical form, it has a quality regarded as characteristic of poems. (what is poetry definition — Search (bing.com)) As a literary work, poetry has a "special intensity to express beauty and ideas" and "create imagery" by "the use of distinctive style and rhythm." Its rhythmical composition, "whether written or spoken, excites pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts."The history of poetry. Poetry as an oral art form likely existed before the appearance of written text. (https://obsidianlit.org/the-history-of-poetry/) Poetry has a long and varied history, evolving differentially across the globe. It dates back at least to prehistoric times — "its roots ... mainly from the Greek Civilization." Poetry then is even older than Greece. Although many bibliographies point to Greece as the beginning of poetry, according to research, "the origin of poetry dates back to antiquity." Its long history shows its "varying forms on a wide variety of topics, starting as early as 2000 BCE." The earliest poetry is believed to have been recited or sung, arising with a ritual and communal character — "as a way of remembering oral history, genealogy, and law." "Even though the form of poetry has evolved across time, consistently throughout the centuries, poets have written on common themes such as love, loss, regret, and more." (https://www.albert.io/blog/poetry-through-the-ages-a-historical-journey)Just because poetry always evolves doesn't mean that older poetry forms will never reappear in a later century. There will always be an appreciation for poetic forms such as the sonnet, free verse, ballads or haikus. (https://wordwool. com/history-of-poetry/) Specifically, the word "poetry" comes from the ancient Greek "ποιεω" (poieo) and means "action, to do, to materialize." Other Latin words were derived from these Greek words, such as "poiesis" (poetry), "poeta" (poet), "poetria" (poetess), and "poética" or "poeticés" (poetic work). (https://wordwool.com/history-of-poetry/)Especially in peoples such as "the Sumerians, the Jews and the Egyptian civilization, their cultures shaped the composition of songs that sought to invoke divinities and celebrate them. Other non-religious themes such as daily activities, games, heroic deeds, etc., found expression in poetry over time." The civilization of the Sumerians has the merit of having the oldest known poem, specifically the "Epic of Gilgamesh." [Poetry Through the Ages: A Historical Journey (albert.io)] The poem is anonymous and is based on Sumerian oral traditions and legends. The story centers on Gilgamesh — a part-human, part-god who overcomes exciting challenges in his pursuit of eternal life. It was written on clay tablets about 2,000 years BC." (https://wordwool.com/history-of-poetry/)Teresita Tanhueco-Tumapon, PhD, one of the Philippines' most accomplished educators and experts on higher education institutional management, studied at top universities in the Philippines, Germany, Britain and Japan. She held top academic positions at Xavier University, the Ateneo de Cagayan; was presidential appointee after EDSA 1986 to normalize campus operations in state institutions; and served 17 years after that as SUC president. She is an Internationalization Office consultant and professorial lecturer at Liceo de Cagayan University. Awards include the CHEd Lifetime Professional Achievement Award, the British Council Valuable Services Recognition Award, the Federal Republic of Germany Order of Merit, and the Department of Education award for her initiatives as a pioneer member of the Philippine Teacher Education [email protected]