Poetry is Quintessence of Literature

Man, the supreme being has got intelligence, reason, emotions and impulses. Cognition, affection, and conation are the various aspects of human consciousness. The more conscious he is, the more cultured he becomes. He has constantly strived for mental (intellectual) culture sad aesthetic culture. The fruits of his love for learning and quest for beauty and excellence are the various sciences and art .Cultivation of arts is art and parcel of aesthetic culture.

The aim of Aesthetic culture is the appreciation and enjoyment of the best Art. Art stirs our emotions. Science is related to the intellect while Art appeals to the emotions. Beauty does not pass through the gate of intellect. It has its own short cut to soul. Art and science are not independent, but are interdependent. The noblest, art is a source of unalloyed happiness and perennial inspiration. It arises as deep feelings and lives zest to life. It furthers the process of evolution. The unique power of art, its quality is to take us out of ourselves, out of our personal petty selves.

Poetry is the most sublime of the five classical arts. It is most imaginative and has the highest emotional appeal. Poetry is the most ancient art. The Greeks called poetry as the dirking of Muses. It is the plant that has thrived in all the climes and countries. People have always cherished and honored great poets. Depth of feelings and universality of appeal are the two criteria of great literature. Homer Virgil, Dante, Shakespeare, Milton, Ghalib and Allama lqbal are the greatest by virtue of these unique qualities. They have most powerful appeal because their poetry is the voice of the living souls.

It is more important to read and love poetry than to define it. We do not define a flower or a sunset; we enjoy it. Poetry has been defined differently by different poets and thinkers.