Communication in Art Song and Literature: Poems Versus Novels

Abstract

The primary urge of a poet or writer is to create according to his inspiration but close to it is the urge to communicate with the reader. A singer requires hearer, a painting requires connoisseur. Well, even without the other parties, a poem and a painting may be created or a song may be sung. Think of the wind flowing through the reeds or bamboo grove or a bird’s song reaching the ethereal height creating a symphony in the air which is perhaps enjoyed by the silent Nature. Nature exactly does that. It is neither responsible nor obliged to tell man what it enjoys, how it enjoys itself but when a man hears them they become songs touching the heart of the pure sympathizers away from the hullabaloo of the mundane world. Go further and there are the unheard songs, unheard sounds; they are very much there for every sound comes out of silence. When Nature creates such things on its own without waiting for anybody to appreciate the things remain unknown until someone hears or looks at them. Man creates to communicate. If we consider songs it is definitely a field for communication between the singer and the hearer. Man’s creation may be said to be, in general term, artificial whereas Nature’s creation is natural. Nature recreates itself Man creates imitating Nature or otherwise. But I don’t wish to stop telling that Art is imitation only like our great Greek predecessors. The seer poets created words the way they heard. The higher and highest sources, it may be said the Divine sources, create through man as through the Nature.