Poetry of Peace - Monique

What constitutes peace poetry, is it similar to anti war poetry? The two separate entities do overlap in many ways however there are major differences. Anti-war poetry does go against the concept of war and the upheaval that it brings like peace poetry. Although anti-war poetry often just grazes the issue, and does not tend to offer a solution for a lasting peace. Peace poetry draws from many themes in anti-war poetry however it goes a few steps forward, it often focuses on Utopian ideals, and offers resolve to growing global instability and strife.

In his article Poems for Peace Philip Metres states that peace poetry can be divided into three different sections, sorrows, resistances, and alternative visions. Anti-war poetry does deal with sorrows and resistances but rarely ever gives alternative visions. Metres details how the American society is marred by the image of war. He states that the American society perpetuates the culture of war and is in a constant state of preparation for war or “pure war”. So how then can poets pass this cultural stranglehold, does peace have to be imagined or understood in order for poems and society to achieve this grand gesture? In Metres article Denise Levertov denounces this by stating that peace is not palpable to our minds eye, that peace is not just an interim between wars but a positive condition of society. This mirrors the words of Miriam Rukeyser where she states that peace is not just a lack of war but also the positivity of a society.

What then should the discourse community be composed of? Philip Metres article introduced a collection of poets and authors. He revels on the idea of a shelve which grew into a bookstore filled with peace poetry. He imagines the local community should be the active audience, students and teachers. In Metres article he states that Rukeyser protests with action, she creates poetry and “never protests without making something.” Through Metres article I find that he does not only focus on one author or idea he uses a collection of works and ideas in order to make his point and enable the reader to understand the message. Therefore peace poetry is a genre where the audience and poets actively build on each others ideas and goals in order to lead the world into a better more positive future.