Why do people write poetry?

[abu nuwas]

First, let me make it absolutely clear that I would never describe any Modern Woman as 'some half-wit chick'. As for eye-glazing, much better to pinch from a Master: Byron and 'She walks in beauty' are likely to be more effective than one's own amateurish compositions.

Aish knows her own motivations: she scratches her itch, it is something she does in the same way a cat plays with a mouse.

She also lumps it with the other arts, and, although paradoxically they are sometimes seen as lonely trades, it is I think indisputable that each contributes to the way society bonds. It had not occurred to me before, but I now wonder if they do not take the cultural mantle by turns. I mean, that , for example, once published material was freely circulating, all that would have been required in a Victorian salon, or more humble home, would have been a fine speaking voice, and one can easily imagine why the Romantic and Victorian poets became so well known, with many lines slipping into common speech. But then, courtesy of some more technology, whereas music was once badly played from sheet-music, all of a sudden, the very best of any genre is available, on tap. What man is then going to recite some long dirge, when he can just as easily--more so-- put a vinyl record on, wind it up, and impress the ladies and himself with such hits as 'I'm a shy young chap' or 'Twas on the steamer comin' over' ? In other words, music pushed out poesy. And yet people write......?