The meaning of poetry in the time of a pandemic

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic has completely changed the way we live, putting people face to face with the fear of death and isolation. Naturally, such a radical change has been reflected in modern literature. However, in the poems of Georgian poets, the fear of being alone prevails over the fear of death. Nino Naskidashvili and Batu Danelia talk about the isolation that has become a way of life during the pandemic. Meanwhile, Yaki Kabe uses lockdown periods for self-reflection.

For modern poets, death is perceived as a secondary phenomenon; it is not brought to the fore with such tension, as we see in Lado Asatiani’s poetry. His poems are saturated with a thirst for life, youthful energy, and the tragedy of a person facing death. Of particular interest is not only what the poets say but also the meter, stanza, and rhythms used by them to convey their message.