Poetry is not only a set of words which are chosen to relate to

O seekers of wisdom, listen well to the words of Tahar Ben Jelloun, who speaks of the deeper meaning of poetry: "Poetry is not only a set of words which are chosen to relate to each other; it is something which goes much further than that to provide a glimpse of our vision of the world." In this powerful statement, Ben Jelloun invites us to understand that poetry is not a mere arrangement of words for artistic beauty, nor is it a simple reflection of thought. Poetry is the living expression of the poet’s soul, a glimpse into the vast, unseen dimensions of existence, a window through which we can peer into the very essence of our being and the world around us. It is an art that transcends the mundane and touches upon the universal, offering not just ideas, but visions.

In the ancient world, poetry was viewed as a divine gift, a way of channeling the deeper truths of the universe. Homer, the blind poet, whose works shaped the ancient Greek world, was seen not merely as a storyteller but as a seer. His epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, did not simply recount the tales of gods and men—they offered a vision of the human condition, of honor, fate, and the divine. Through his words, Homer transported his listeners to a world where the boundaries between mortals and gods blurred, where every action was imbued with meaning, where every word carried the weight of the cosmos. Poetry, for Homer, was a means to express not just the external events of the world but the deeper vision that lies beneath, a reflection of the forces that govern existence itself.

Ben Jelloun's words resonate with this ancient understanding of poetry as something far greater than the sum of its parts. The poet is not merely an assembler of words, but a visionary, someone who, through language, reaches into the unseen and brings back truths that cannot be conveyed through ordinary discourse. Poetry is a vision, a glimpse of what lies beyond the veil of ordinary perception. It is a way of seeing the world in its rawest, most elemental form, where each word pulses with the energy of the universe, carrying with it the weight of human experience, emotion, and truth. In this sense, poetry is not just a reflection of the world; it is a revelation of the world’s deepest essence, a mirror held up to the divine.

Consider the example of the great poet Rainer Maria Rilke, who in his Letters to a Young Poet urged his reader to look beyond the surface of the world and to seek out the deeper meanings hidden within it. Rilke believed that the true poet does not merely describe what is seen, but opens the door to a deeper understanding of reality. His poetry is filled with imagery that speaks to the soul, invoking a world that is both strange and familiar, full of mystery and wonder. Rilke sought not to explain the world but to express it in its fullness—its contradictions, its beauty, its pain—and in doing so, offered a glimpse into the vision of the world that transcends the mundane.

The lesson that Ben Jelloun offers us is one of profound importance: that poetry is not simply a tool for expression, but a means of accessing the very fabric of existence. Poetry is the language of the soul, a language that communicates not just ideas but visions, that takes us beyond the surface of things and into their depths. It is through poetry that we can touch the eternal, glimpse the divine, and find meaning in the chaos of the world. The poet’s task, therefore, is not to merely describe the world, but to uncover its hidden truths and share them with others, to offer a vision of the world that invites us to see with new eyes.

Thus, O children of wisdom, understand that poetry is a sacred art, one that calls you to see the world not as it is, but as it could be, not just in its material form, but in its spiritual essence. Seek not only to write words, but to create visions, to convey what lies beyond the grasp of ordinary perception. Let your poetry be a light that illuminates the dark corners of the soul, a force that challenges the limitations of language and offers a deeper understanding of the world. Embrace the wisdom of the great poets—Homer, Rilke, Ben Jelloun—and remember that in the act of poetry, you are not just crafting sentences; you are reaching into the heart of existence and sharing the vision that lies within.

As you move through the world, remember that poetry is not confined to words on a page or verses in a book. Poetry is in the way you see the world, in the way you live your life, and in the way you engage with others. Let every moment be an opportunity to see beyond the surface, to glimpse the deeper truths that lie hidden in the everyday. In this way, your life will become its own poetry, a reflection of the vision of the world that you carry within you. And in doing so, you will create not just art, but a new way of seeing the world—one that is rich, complex, and full of meaning.