The Permanent Dilemma: Poetry or Living ?

According to Darwin’s Evolution Theory, the conclusion can be drawn that human belongs to the category of animal. They have desires to struggle for food, clothes, and living space. But, no one will denies that human is difference with animals. Human beings can far surpass other animals, because human have the following characteristics: First, human beings are capable to create and use tools and use them to product goods; Second, human beings use their agency and imagination to engage in creative activities; Third, they are social animal, living and working together; Fourth, people have unique physiological structure, like their brain and some nervous systems. Maybe, some animals also have some characteristics which I have mentioned above, but the second characteristic only belongs to human. With creative ability, they create a civilian world, in which they escape from the confinement of universe to lead a free life.

In the poem The road not taken, there are two roads. If you choose one, you have to give up another. Poetry is created by human, full of human’s wisdom and imagination. While, the living is the basic needs for everyone. There is great gap between them. Facing the burden of life, whether people choose to resist or accommodate has a vital influence on their life. It seems that when you choose poetry, you will lose your great expectation. Traditionally, poets are not understood by ordinary people, they are regarded as idle people, who do not contribute material wealth to the development of society. The article How does a poet put bread on the table talks how those poets make their rough living, but still persist in their ideal world. All in all, in most people’s eyes, including me, poetry and living are incompatible like water and fire. However, a Canadian poet named Moritz thinks that living and poetry can be integrated together. Capturing both of them in hands, then the perfect life (at least in your own eyes) comes into being.