Cards for people to write poems on and can be dedicated to other people.

 

In 2015, the field of poetry was particularly active. This can be seen in the popularity of WeChat public accounts for poetry, as well as in poetry groups and publications in almost every city which often held activities for exchanges and reading poems.

Among the many kinds of emerging poets, there has been a rise in grassroots poets, which shows that poetry has become one common method for people to express their feelings and aspirations. In addition, more female poets are emerging and becoming active to a much greater extent than in the past.

One reason for the resurgence in the popularity of poetry among ordinary people is the new media platforms such as WeChat and Weibo. People can post their poems almost without restriction on these platforms. Moreover, it has become a fashion trend among young people born in the 80s and 90s to write things including poems on cell phones, tablet personal computers and other electronic tools.
 

But, there are still concerns. For example, people joke that noted poets are easy to find, but brilliant poems are nowhere to be found. That is because modern poetry lacks high aesthetic quality. Few poets have distinctive styles and show high aesthetic tastes. Therefore, underneath the superficial prosperity, there is the risk that they lack substantial significance, that is, most poems are neither down to earth nor hold lofty aspirations. 
 

Poetry can evoke resonance within people only if they are unique and representative in terms of aesthetics, just like poems of Li Bai (701-762), which are characterized by freedom and romance, poems of Du Fu (712-770) characterized by affection and a sense of misery felt for the country, and poems of Wang Wei (701-761)  characterized by unconventional grace. Modern poetry should play the role of bringing in significance and building up values, which is also the only way for this literary form to have healthy development.

 

Li Shaojun is deputy editor-in-chief of the magazine Poetry.