PLUMBING THE SOUL

[shemthepenman]

 poets are better off these days staying away from social comment and confining themselves to harmless and empty subjects.

no, what it means is, popularist [youtbe] social politics is a silly and empty subject, and that poets 'these days' should stay away from crap poetry about it. . . like they did in the old days.. . . and all other days.

Politics is not a game but a serious battlefield where competing sides fight for power. Sometimes that power is used wisely, other times used mainly for the benefit of those wielding it who usually want even more. They always say they're doing it for the good of the people. If poets can open some eyes to what's going on all will be better  for it. To say this is an empty subject will please those power mongers because they know you'll simply ignore their bad  behavior--so they can keep on doing it.

The only reason for poets to stay away from controversy is that it is far less likely than feel good writing to see the light of day.

much as it pains me to have to [partially] side with Chomsky--it always does, but i always seem to be doing it lately--to think the government aren't rubbing their hands together at these petty 'controversies' is ludicrous. it's a distraction. television's not doing as good a job as it once was. so they throw you a bone: a first world problem will do the trick. and you argue and fight [because they know you've got some fight in you], make memes and youtube videos, and write tumblr posts about how gender is fluid or men should be men or black lives matter or maybe they don't or how some girl got triggered when some copper got shot. . . and to say this subject is not empty will please the powers that be because it's an empty issue to fill empty heads and empty lives, that gives you the illusion that you're in control. you might as well write a poem about the x factor for all the political good it does or eyes that it opens.