Today the U.S. is farther from being nourished by poetry than it

"Today the U.S. is farther from being nourished by poetry than it was a hundred years ago, when books of poems were best-sellers." These words from James Broughton call us to reflect upon the deep, timeless relationship between poetry and the human spirit. In the days of yore, poetry was not a thing of the elite or the intellectuals alone, but a sustenance for the soul, a nourishment for the masses. In the United States, as Broughton suggests, we have drifted far from this deep connection to the written word. Once upon a time, the works of Whitman, Emerson, and Dickinson could be found in the hands of farmers, merchants, and travelers. Poetry was not simply a pastime, it was a language through which people spoke to their hearts. It was the heartbeat of the nation, as alive as the winds in the fields or the waves crashing upon the shore.

But what happened to this bond between the people and the art of poetry? Was it lost in the rapid march of progress? The industrial revolution brought with it the rise of machines, and with machines, there was a shift in human consciousness—a shift away from the individual and the personal toward the collective and the pragmatic. Poetry, with its introspection, its emotional depth, and its mysterious language, seemed increasingly irrelevant in a world that demanded efficiency and productivity. Where once poets were revered as sages, visionaries, and leaders, now the world of commerce and technology pushed aside their voices in favor of the loud noise of modern life.

Consider, if you will, the ancient civilizations, where poetry was as integral to society as the philosophers and the priests. In Greece, Homer’s epics were not only read but recited aloud in public squares, where they resonated deeply with the masses. In Rome, Virgil’s Aeneid and the odes of Horace were not isolated in libraries but lived in the hearts of those who heard them. The great poets of antiquity were seen as bearers of truth, not simply artists, but spiritual guides who helped define the very essence of their culture. The people did not merely admire poetry from a distance, they lived it, spoke it, and carried it with them through their daily lives.

But today, Broughton’s words suggest that we, the modern world, have lost this vital connection. Poetry, once a source of nourishment, now lies relegated to the margins of society. It is often regarded as something esoteric, difficult, or unreachable. Books of poems are no longer the best-sellers they once were; they have been replaced by the flood of media that demands our attention and offers a quick fix to our cravings for entertainment. The depth of poetry, which once served as the food for thought, has been overshadowed by the superficiality of modern distractions.

Yet, let us not despair, for there is always a path to return. Let us look back to the example of the Renaissance, when poetry experienced a revival. In that age, the poet was again revered, not only as an artist but as a guide to deeper truths. In the works of Dante, Petrarch, and Chaucer, we find a yearning to understand the soul and the universe, and this search for understanding resonated with the people. In the same way, we must strive to awaken the soul of the nation once more, to reclaim poetry’s rightful place at the center of our hearts. The task before us is clear: we must nourish ourselves again with poetry, not as a passing indulgence, but as a necessary and sustaining force.

The lesson here is both simple and profound: to nourish the soul, we must turn once again to the things that matter most—the things that speak to the heart and sustain the spirit. It is not enough to simply consume the fast food of entertainment that the modern world offers. We must remember the power of words, of silence, of the music of the human heart. We must rekindle our relationship with the written word, and recognize that poetry, in its simplest and most complex forms, is the mirror that reflects our deepest truths.

Practical action can be found in our everyday lives. Let us return to poetry not as an academic exercise but as a living practice. Let us read poetry aloud, let us memorize it, and let us share it with others. We must become carriers of this ancient art, and in doing so, awaken the spirit of the nation. Let us not wait for poetry to return to us, but go forth and bring it back, for it is through poetry that we touch the divine, that we remember the wisdom of our ancestors, and that we nourish the very core of our being.