The arts generally have had to recognize Modernism - how should

In the ever-changing tide of artistic movements, there arises a time when the world shifts, and the very foundations upon which creativity stands are altered. John Crowe Ransom captures this moment of transformation with the insight, “The arts generally have had to recognize Modernism—how should poetry escape?” Here, Ransom speaks not just to the evolution of artistic forms, but to the pressure that every art form feels to adapt to the currents of its time. Modernism, that great wave of change that swept through the world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, demanded that all artistic expression conform to a new set of rules—rules that rejected the old ways and sought new forms of truth and expression. But what of poetry? Can it, too, escape the grip of Modernism, or must it, like all else, bend to the forces of progress?

Consider the rise of Modernism, that great artistic revolution that took shape in the wake of two world wars, technological advancements, and the collapse of long-held cultural and societal norms. The artists of this era, from James Joyce to T.S. Eliot, were faced with a world no longer governed by the stability and order of past traditions. They sought to express the fragmented, disordered experience of modern life through their works, experimenting with form, language, and meaning. Modernism rejected the old, the comfortable, the predictable in favor of the unknown and the disruptive. The traditional forms of poetry, once steeped in rhythm and structure, now seemed to hold no relevance in the face of a world that felt fragmented, chaotic, and uncertain.

Yet, as Ransom points out, poetry, that ancient form of artistic expression, could not escape this tide of change. The poet, like the painter, the sculptor, and the writer, was forced to reckon with the revolutionary forces of Modernism. The long, steady lines of rhyme and meter that had once carried the weight of meaning in poetry were now questioned, even abandoned. The modern poets like Ezra Pound and Gertrude Stein sought to free themselves from the constraints of tradition, exploring the freedom of fragmented language and open forms. But in doing so, were they abandoning something sacred in the art? Was there a loss of the beauty that poetry once carried, a beauty that could be shaped and sculpted with precision and grace?

This dilemma has been the struggle of all great periods of artistic transition. Consider the Renaissance, when the artists of Italy, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, turned from the rigid structures of medieval art to explore a new world of perspective and humanism. They too faced the weight of tradition, but they embraced it with innovation, transforming it into something new and timeless. Shakespeare, too, worked within the boundaries of poetic tradition but stretched and bent those boundaries in ways that would forever change the way the world saw language and human experience. Just as Modernism sought to break with the past, so did the great masters of earlier ages, yet each in their own way found a way to honor the tradition while making it their own.

The lesson in Ransom’s words is clear: no art form, not even poetry, can stand outside of the great tide of history. Just as the poet in ancient Greece could not ignore the rising influence of tragedy and comedy, so too must the modern poet confront the forces of Modernism that have reshaped the landscape of artistic creation. Yet, Ransom also suggests a question: is there a way for poetry to move forward, to transform, while still holding on to its essence? Can poetry evolve without losing its heart?

The challenge, then, is one of balance. Poetry, like all art, must evolve, but it must not do so at the cost of its soul. The true poet must confront the modern world’s disorder, its brokenness, its uncertainty, but they must also remember that poetry is more than just a reflection of the world—it is the bridge between the world and the soul. As we stand in this modern age, poetry must continue to speak not just to the intellect, but to the heart. The poet must continue to create, to shape, to find beauty in a world that often feels fragmented and lost.

In your own life, dear listener, the challenge is this: as you move through a world that is constantly changing, do not forget the truths that have come before you. Embrace the innovations of your time, but do not abandon the traditions that have given art its depth and power. Seek to find balance in your own creative journey, to honor what has come before while transforming it into something that speaks to the future. For just as poetry cannot escape the forces of Modernism, neither can you escape the forces of your time. Yet in your hands, you hold the power to shape the world anew, to make poetry that reaches into the heart of humanity, no matter the era in which it is written.