In the current world filled with situations of all kinds, poetry plays an important in ensuring that insight, essence, and meaning is given to the daily events people come across in the world. People tend to do a shallow analysis of pertinent issues and spend their energy dwelling on lesser matters that lack real depth and significance. Whereas there may be a single interpretation of an event in the realm of normal view, poetry reveals deeper insights of the event beyond common understanding. Poetry gives meaning to the real problems leading to the event, and the implications associated with the event. Poetic insight is not limited to social boundaries or the effects of time. It is this role that Betts’ ‘When I Think of Tamir Rice While Driving’ and Oates’ and ‘Poetry Is the Gnomic Utterance from Which the Soul Springs, Fluttering’ are based, but from different perspectives.
There is a shared aspect of these two poems apart from the controversial death of 12-year old Tami Rice by Cleveland’s police officer’s misjudged gunshot. The enormity of the death is clearly revealed through the tone of both poems and the choice of words of the poets. Oates alludes to the gravity of the death, but she also appreciates the role of poetry in making lively the insignificant yet wise issues. Betts, on the other hand, uses the situation to give deeper insights into issues that are of great concern in the United States of America.
When comparing the two poems, there is a striking connection that can be picked and links the two poems apart from the central theme involving the Cleveland shooting. Therefore, as Oates in Poetry is the Gnomic Utterance from Which the Soul Springs, Fluttering reveals a significant role and aspect of poetry, Betts in ‘When I Think of Tamir Rice While Driving’ shows the manifestation and application of this function and aspect. An individual can, therefore, read the piece by Oates as a companion to the one by Betts, to understand poetry’s role in society.
In Betts poem, ‘When I Think of Tamir Rice while Driving’ the speaker express his disappointment at the institution of some aspects of justice. He, the father of two sons, first put himself in the position of the deceased parent of Rice by “thinking of Tamir Rice and crying.” (Betts, Reginald) The speaker further outlines his way of thinking and leading his two sons. He has previously cautioned his sons against playing with pistol toys not because he fears the outcome, but because he does not like it. The obvious outcome is that he is just being protective of them and promises consequences for any hurt like the one done to the parents of the 12-year old Tamir.
Although the speaker is disheartened, he chooses not to be distracted by the weeping about Tamir which is “all another insignificance, all another way to avoid saying what should be said.” (Betts 7-8) He just states that there is root to brutality and taboos like the one Rice has been involved. He believes the justice provisions in the Second Amendment; the Constitution, that allows for disregard of humanity and human rights, the dignity of the child and the future borne by them is to blame, rather than the brutality.
The speaker kicks aside the event to address deeper issues involving those which have been ignored and are affecting people of all kinds of races and are ignorant or unaware. The speaker questions the cost of a person’s life by putting into consideration “the reason we might yearn to see a man die.” (Betts 34-35) According to the speaker, there is more to the brutality, and the deaths
are no more about justice but perceived racism. In the end, he decides to stay grounded to avoid being a victim of what ‘his brothers’ (Betts 46) already are experiencing.
The poem ‘Poetry Is the Gnomic Utterance from Which the Soul Springs, Fluttering’ is about a white female interpreter translating the poem about the brutal shooting of a 12-year old Tamir Rice to a deaf audience. “At the edge of the bright-lit stage, the (white, female) interpreter signing for the deaf is stricken with emotion.” (Oates 15-19) Although the sign language interpreter in the poem utters no words other than the signs, she is deeply moved and affected by the story read to her, that she must pass to her deaf audience. Oates reveals through this character the deep insights of poetry that cannot be expressed in words, and go beyond racial boundaries. The interpreter also finds herself in the same position as the deceased mother or sister to Tamir.
It is through this poem that perhaps Betts, “another way to avoid saying what should be said” stems from and can be best understood. Oates uses the setting of reading the poem to indicate this aspect. Despite having her feelings, and attitude toward the matter of concern, the death of Tamir, the white interpreter simply must express what is read to her to the audience. The interpreter seems to be tied down and limited to what she can say about the matter. Because of poetry, it can all be seen through her reaction, her face and her attitude when interpreting this matter- “she is wet-eyed, and mouth grimaced in horror’s perfect O.” (Oates 38-39) Oates attempts to bring home the fact that poetry expresses hidden insights in the society, and the forbidden feelings beyond any human limits.
Poetry cannot hold back the filth of the society just as the interpreter cannot hold back her feelings. This is the role of poetry in the society. Despite the ongoing problems, limitations and boundaries in the world, poetry doesn’t and should not hold back. It should reveal deeper understandings to a deaf and oblivious audience world.
Having an understanding of the role of poetry in the world makes the reader of the ‘When I Think of Tamir While Driving’ appreciate the position taken by the speaker concerning the matter at hand. The speaker in this poem does not want to hide behind the sorrow and mourning surrounding this brutal death. He takes a position and gives an opinion of the real issues that should be addressed; he reiterates- “this is why I hate it all…we are not permitted to articulate the reasons we might yearn to see a man die.” (Betts 30, 34-35) The figurative actions of the limited interpreter in Oates’ poem are comprehensively manifested in this speaker. The speaker vividly gives his opinion and wisdom until the very end of the poem. It can be, therefore, deduced that the insight that is given by Betts in the poem ‘When I Think of Tamir While Driving’ is justified by the Oates’ ‘Poetry Is the Gnomic Utterance from Which the Soul Springs, Fluttering.’
The role of poetry in society as discussed in the poem by Oates seems like freedom to Betts to dig deeper into a matter of concern and come up with big issues worth the attention of every individual. Despite being limited to interpretation, the woman expressed herself in other ways, which became a message to the audience.
The speaker with his two sons also has another way of seeing the shooting at Cleveland. He feels there is another way things about human justice can be done. The revelation by Oates that poetry can and should penetrate limitations and social boundaries allows for Betts to freely express his opinions regardless of his position in the society. The relationship between the two pieces of poetry support each other toward the realization of a common goal: the role of poetry as a tool for free expression of issues within society.