A Poetic Everyday

I was watching a BBC documentary on Wordsworth that inspired my thought on this. The programme specifically featured the poem “Composed upon Westminster Bridge”, poem that is atypical to Wordsworth’s glorious poems on nature; this was about London from Westminster Bridge.

This inspired me to think of 2 things.


First, about writing in sonnets. Having travelled to France to find his long-lost mistress and daughter out of wedlock, Wordsworth took strolls along the French coast with the two ladies and his sister Dorothy. Typical of Wordsworth, he enjoyed composing whilst walking on uninterrupted space, like in the fields and hills of his hometown Lake District. Here, whilst walking along the expansive French beach, along with Dorothy constantly reading Milton’s sonnets to him, he was inspired to be a good sonnet writer.

What draws me to sonnets is that in a short 14 lines, the poem seeks to capture so much. And the beauty of the word is truly manifested through his intense expression of emotion and opinion. Also, as brought up by the documentary, the easy rhythms and brevity of 14 lines allows one to capture the entire sonnet in one’s head, replaying it at will.

Secondly, the documentary reminded me of something I have always been fond of, that of the poetic everyday-life we lead. Some deem repetitive daily routines as monotonous, and I fully sympathise. But if we so much as stop complaining and admire the aspects of daily routines we take for granted, perhaps its poetry will flow. Same faces, same places, no longer that ‘same’ if we hear the poetry of everyday.


As such, based on these 2 things, I am hoping to do something when I get back to Singapore. I intend to pay more attention to the places, activities and people I meet everyday. Especially having travelled extensively in the past 3 years, going back to the place of my childhood could be a poetic canvas upon which I can use; to write lyrics, compose music, write poetry, paint pictures…or just even enjoy in the privacy of my reflections.

Finally, the documentary made me reminisce about those 2 months that I was resident in London, in Summer 2008. I lived, worked, played and sang there. Crossing London Bridge daily to work at RBS. I think the enigmatic beauty Wordsworth writes of in his poem becomes all the more relevant, where I found beauty in the filth, greyness and urban-scape of London.


Uncle T