Byron and the Word-Genius of His Poetry
Rare and True and Beautiful -- Only a Few Can Achieve It
Rock 'n roll was invented to allow untalented people to pretend that they are great artists. (Many of the deluded end up believers.) The fine arts, dance and theater all have their fantasy-leagues, populated by players who are self-persuaded of their rare genius. But genius is rare. So rare, that the Artist traditionally, at least in the West, was once declaimed closest to the gods. Now, anyone can be a genius!
In sports, an interloper claiming genius is outed when he proves to be easily defeated. The audience sees it and knows the difference. That is why, today, no one dares debate that LeBron James is a genius of the hoops; Usain Bolt of the track; Magnus Carlsen of the chessboard.
But what of poetry? How is it that poetic “genius” can now be “found” in words thrown-together in an incomprehensible, unrhyming, unmusical cacophony of ludicrous juxtapositions? Because faux artistes like Ezra Pound — who was as clumsy-handed and blatantly untalented as Jackson Pollock in painting — found favor with “progressive” academics who have to do something to earn a living. But theirs is the gospel of NO. I reject their criticisms of the traditional arts implicitly and completely.
Who can write poetry at this level of facility today? If you know of such a poet, please tell me!
When he wrote this, George, Lord Byron, was not yet 17 years of age! The word play alone is more advanced than mature poets of today lauded for their execrable work.
These six lines of poetry are representative of poetic genius: an upwelling of meaningfulness demonstrated with an intuitive mastery of form, the container of sentiment, displayed effortlessly. One who is a genius might devote a lifetime to learning how to guide and adapt and further his genius; but it is there for him alone to tap. Masses of the untalented can not become genius. (I will never dunk.) But they can appreciate the fruits of genius — as long as they do not become fraudulent usurpers of the moniker: GENIUS.
I found Byron’s Epitaph on John Adams of Southwell in my copy of Byron’s Works, a multi-volume set in my library that I particularly treasure.
"...faux artistes like Ezra Pound — who was as clumsy-handed and blatantly untalented as Jackson Pollock in painting — found favor with “progressive” academics..."
Yes. IMHO 1910 Modernism was leftist and nihilistic. It removed representation from painting, rhyme from poetry, melody from music, story from novels... The intention was to gut the arts and replace core their with Marxism and a void. And it was part of a larger effort to destroy culture and civilization, so as to replace them with totalitarianism.
"To fill a gap, insert the thing that caused it. Block it up with other and ‘twill yawn the more. You cannot solder an abyss with air," Emily Dickinson wrote in a poem 1862. I wonder if some future generation will succeed in replacing the truth and beauty that the leftists/modernists tore from the heart of art.