A Poem's Curse

As a writer, every time I sit down to put my thoughts on paper, several questions come to mind:

• What is the topic of this writing going to be?

• What is the purpose of this writing?

• Who are my readers, and how can I write so they understand it correctly?

• What genre/literature form should I select to convey my message best?

Often, I’ll have a topic and purpose in mind before I start. That is usually why I sit down to write in the first place – something I experience or think will catch my attention and move me to put words on paper.

As far as the question of readership goes… I know some of my readers, though certainly not all of them. I usually write for someone like myself. Someone who always has questions and is looking to grow. Someone who cares about purpose and life and takes decisions and thoughts seriously. I think this accurately reflects the minds of my readers.

Finally, genre - this one is interesting. Typically, I write poems, contemplations, short stories, and songs. I choose each of these individual genres for a specific reason. The question is always: Which one will convey my message best?

A contemplation can rationally outline a topic better than any other genre.

Short stories have the ability to pull the reader in, evoking emotions and immersing them in a foreign world.

Songs allow melody, rhythm, and voice to add emotion, color, and tenderness.

Poems can cut straight to the heart of the matter and use words to build worlds and thoughts.

Each genre has its advantages.

In today’s contemplation, I want to discuss poetry.

Yes, I am aware of the irony: A poem about poems would have been cooler than a contemplation about poetry, but I have found that this topic, as I would like to approach it, is far too intricate to pack into a poem.

So here we are, contemplating poetry.

I find there is a curse on poetry.

Poetry is an art form - a beautiful one at that. We love the cadence, the rhymes, the images they evoke, the emotion… but poetry is more than that. A good poem has a message. And that message is more important than the cadence and the rhyme. The message is the reason the poem is written. The cadence, the rhymes, and the images simply help convey the message.

We can often forget this. I know I do, despite being a poet myself. I read someone else’s verses and think, ‘Ah, now those are some beautiful lines; what a wonderful piece of art.’ All the while, I miss the author’s message by focusing on the rhymes or trying to interpret how it makes me feel.

And yet, when I sit down as the composer, my main focus is on the message. I write because there is a fire burning in me and I select the genre of poetry because it is the best torch bearer for that flame.

A poem’s curse truly is its beauty: Its beauty can overshadow its message.

This curse is not reserved for modern poetry alone. Even ancient poets are misunderstood; poets long dead can no longer raise their voices and say, ‘Actually, guys, that’s really not how I meant for those lines to be understood.’

In the bible, we have the Psalms. Many of them are attributed to David, the king of Israel. We read these Psalms as poems written to glorify God, sing His praise, express struggles in faith, and deal with injustices.

In ancient times, poetry was not necessarily a piece of literature that had a rhyme but instead much more of a focus on rhythm.

The questions I ask myself are these:

Why did David select the genre of poetry to convey the messages he writes in the Psalms?

Could it be that the Psalms of the Old Testament were more than just beautiful songs of praise?

If only there were a way to figure out what role poetry and songs played for the ancient Israelites…

Enter Mr. Moses and Deuteronomy 32.

As Moses nears the end of his life, Yahweh speaks to him (Deuteronomy 31). The abbreviated version of what Yahweh tells him is this: ‘Moses, you will die soon. Your people will break the covenant I made with them, and they will worship foreign gods. I will allow them to make their choices and not show myself to them since they have chosen other gods over Me.’ Israel will act against Yahweh despite knowing and having been shown who He is.

Yahweh continues by saying that Moses should write down a song He will give him. He says that Moses must teach it to the Israelites so that if they act against Him, they will have the song memorized and written on their hearts and recognize their mistake. This song should then be passed on from generation to generation. It is recorded for us in Deuteronomy 32.

Moses obeys and writes down the song that very day and teaches it to his people. He then places the scroll into the Ark of the Covenant, where the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments and other laws were kept.

So, what do we know?

This song is called Law! (Deuteronomy 31:24-26)

It tells the Israelites, ‘If you leave God, this is what will happen to you. If you blame God for your misfortune after leaving Him, know that you are without excuse, for you have been told of the consequences that would occur!’

Why, then, if this writing is so important, was it written as a song or poem? Does that not diminish its value as an incredibly important message of warning?

No!

Quite the opposite, in fact.

Moses is commanded by Yahweh to share it with his people. He is told that they must all learn it by heart. What better way to have a nation remember its law than by giving it a rhythm?

This reminds me of myself. When I write a new song or poem, I can recite those lines after reading them only a few times. It also makes me think of teenagers singing along to their favorite artists. The lyrics are written on their hearts; they know each word. But how many of them would be willing to sit down and learn half a page of written prose?

Let me sit back for a moment and think… what would I do if I were Moses?

I have led a nation out of Egypt and through the desert. They have blamed Yahweh for their hardship; they have complained and betrayed Him, and now I must ensure that as I leave them, they understand the promised consequences of straying from Yahweh and worshipping other gods. Each individual must know and remember this message.

Undoubtably, I choose to write a song. A song they can sing to their children in the cradle and to each other in times of hardship.

So, the fact that Moses writes Deuteronomy 32 in song format does not take away from its importance; instead, it proves that it is one of the most important writings for the Israelites!

What does this mean for Psalms?

Have we been missing something there?

Does the fact that these are poems mean that they are not simply poetic pieces of art but actually lines that were intended to be memorized and inscribed on people’s hearts?

If David could hear us read his poems today, would he proudly nod his head in agreement, or would he be fuming and yell, ‘No, no! What are you doing? This is prophecy! The word of God! Learn from this! I did not write these for entertainment but because I was shown a glimpse of the spiritual world.’

And so we miss the gravity of some of the most important writings in the bible because we believe they were written simply to be beautiful.

We miss the message because of the beauty.

We sing the songs without knowing their meaning.

And that is the poem’s curse.

'The Shepherd Boy' - a digital painting by my brother