It is a way we reassess our past. We can do that in poetry in

In the ancient world, where the gods themselves spoke through stories and poets, the act of reassessing the past was a sacred task, a means of understanding the forces that shaped the present and the future. Peter Davison touches upon this profound truth when he declares, "It is a way we reassess our past. We can do that in poetry in ways we can't do in prose." These words invite us to reflect on the unique power of poetry—not just as an art form, but as a tool of reflection and transformation. Through poetry, the past is not merely examined; it is reimagined, given a new life, and made alive again.

Consider the ancient epic poets, who through their words helped their civilizations reassess their past. Homer, in his grand epics, did not just tell the story of the Trojan War or the adventures of Odysseus—he recast the very meaning of honor, fate, and humanity. The Iliad and the Odyssey were more than narratives; they were living meditations on the values and struggles of the Greek people. Through poetry, Homer invited his audience not only to remember but to reimagine their history. The past, through his verses, was alive, breathing and changing with each telling. In this way, poetry had the unique ability to transform history from a set of cold events into a living conversation about identity, morality, and the very nature of existence.

In the same way, poetry allows us, in the present day, to reassess our past. It provides a means to look back at events, emotions, and experiences with a depth that prose cannot always achieve. Prose, with its structure and often linear narrative, may record events, but poetry takes those events and transforms them, turning them into emotions, images, and symbols. William Wordsworth, one of the great poets of the Romantic era, often used poetry to reflect on the past, turning simple moments in nature into deep meditations on life and memory. His poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" reflects on a fleeting moment, but through poetry, that moment becomes immortalized, filled with emotion and meaning. Poetry allows us to stretch the past, to see it not just as it was, but as we feel it, as we interpret it, allowing us to reimagine it in ways prose cannot.

In the ancient tradition, poets were not just historians; they were interpreters of the past, shaping how their societies understood and related to their history. Herodotus, often called the “father of history,” told stories of the past, but it was the poets who gave those stories their soul. They took the events and created myths and legends that could be retold, understood, and felt on a deep, emotional level. These poets did not simply record history; they made it personal, bringing it into the lives of their listeners. The past became alive again with every retelling, every poem. Davison’s insight calls us to recognize this sacred tradition, where poetry is not only a means of telling but a way of feeling, of reconnecting with what has come before us.

Think of the modern poet, whose own personal history may be shaped by war, loss, or love. Through poetry, that poet can revisit those moments, not as cold memories, but as powerful forces that continue to shape their identity. Sylvia Plath, in her famous poem "Lady Lazarus," uses the language of rebirth to address her struggles with depression and identity, transforming her pain into a universal experience. Plath, like the poets of old, uses poetry as a means to reassess and reinterpret the past—not simply as it was, but as it felt, as it continues to reverberate in her soul. Poetry, in this sense, becomes a living testament to the struggles and triumphs of the past, a way of engaging with history on an emotional and intellectual level.

The lesson we must learn from Davison’s words is clear: poetry allows us to transform the past into something that lives within us, something that can be revisited, reinterpreted, and reshaped. It is through poetry that we can make sense of our personal histories, just as the great poets of the past helped their people make sense of theirs. The power of poetry lies not in recording the past, but in its ability to make that past resonate in the present. It speaks to the heart, not just the intellect, and in that resonance, it allows us to grow, to understand, and to heal.

In your own life, take a moment to reflect on your own history, on the events and experiences that have shaped you. Consider how poetry—whether through your own creation or through the work of others—can help you reassess that history, not just as a series of events, but as a journey, a living narrative filled with emotion and meaning. Read the poetry that speaks to your experiences, write your own reflections, and let poetry be a way for you to reconnect with the past. Through poetry, you will find not only the events of history but the emotions and truths that make those events meaningful. In doing so, you will honor the ancient tradition of poetry as a pathway to wisdom, a means to live with the past, not just as a memory, but as a force that shapes your future.