My world in Poetry

As I have mentioned before that I have often found a huge comfort and liberty in attending spoken word poetry sessions. More like the relationship I have with jazz. The written word has always been too heavy on my soul because I often want to unpack it and it puts me in a fix. These days I find that I am taking a huge attachment to reading poetry. Reading poetry has put me in a fix as I anticipated and I'm asking a lot of questions. I had a chat with Bongani Michael about poetry and here is a bit of how the convo penned out...

Bongani Michael: "What makes poetry poetry?

You are asking some very difficult questions......the kinda questions a guy like me would actually pass on to those who know much more.....but I'll give you my perspective and attempt to answer one or two of your questions.

1. Well the level of depth or emotions, what poets call 'deep poetry', resides in the level or standard of the poets use of language and intellectual prowess. Meaning a typical adults poem can appear to be deep to a high school person and novice to the graduate or professional.

And this is why you would find what others call deep to be normal in your eyes....

2. Poetry is about Metaphors, Idioms, Philosophy and History.....it's about one being able to form a puzzle or maze that can be put together or figured out....its about deliberately not making sense, its about making people understand and feel without feeling....about allowing the reader to find their own interpretation.....about hiding the real meaning behind a story and telling what you don't want to tell....its about finding another way to cry, be happy....its about everything one desires in any shape or form.

Poetry is about the reader or audience being moved and feeling whether they understand or not.....its about putting words together in the most random of fashion to move yourself and others in the same way- but for different reasons........."

We continued our conversation

Malebo: "oh my word. I finally understand what I have not been able to understand. I've known that poetry moves me but have never known what it is and why and you have just explained it to me. What you have written here is poetry on its own."

Bongani: "I am quite surprised myself that i was able to explain.....these are questions we normally don't think about it, hence our answers surprise us. I wrote two stupid bad poems last night"

He sends me one poem and I read it

Malebo: "Oh gosh - I'm falling in love with it"

Bongani: " I can see you see.....women inlove always asks tough questions"

A few conversation go by and we get back to the poetry talk

Bongani: " You would make for a great poet.....the best....especially spoken word....your voice and articulation is amazing....you just need to pick up the mic"

Malebo: "You must mentor me. I'm hopeless when it comes to poetry"

Bongani: "Would we, as mad and critical beings, ever be in position to teach one another?"

Malebo: " honestly though, I think I'm just a muser that's all. I write books - fiction and non fiction. That's where my soul finds its voice. Poetry would kick me off completely. Let's leave it with other children shall we?Maybe il recite your poems here and there"

Bongani: " Hahahah cool no problem....but also it means no harm to write a few....thing is the beauty of poetry is that you can actually write about your experience and also teach in a few lines with a few words....

Whereas books will not often allow you to write about how you feel at that moment or for that period.....books cover years and often very theoretical.....poetry is practical.

Its your deep feelings now, its your awesome experience now.

Hahahha maybe you should recite mine☺☺☺ that would be great.....my words and your voice- what a Union.....

would make King"

Malebo: " I like that... I like that very much. That would teach me a lot"