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Is poetical political oratory gone for good? Has poetical political oratory gone for good?
(35 minutes later)
Poet Stewart Henderson considers why contemporary politics appears to suffer from a lack of poetry in its oratory.Poet Stewart Henderson considers why contemporary politics appears to suffer from a lack of poetry in its oratory.
The former New York Governor Mario Cuomo famously said that you "campaign in poetry and govern in prose".The former New York Governor Mario Cuomo famously said that you "campaign in poetry and govern in prose".
If he is correct, then it may be that too much governance in prose, of late, has extinguished in the electorate the fire of some sort of belief, and that people now vote out of reaction against, as opposed to being transformed by, political idealism voiced in inspirational oratory.If he is correct, then it may be that too much governance in prose, of late, has extinguished in the electorate the fire of some sort of belief, and that people now vote out of reaction against, as opposed to being transformed by, political idealism voiced in inspirational oratory.
Those of us from an immediate post-war generation, and later, probably still carry in our collective memory some phrases from the great political oratories.Those of us from an immediate post-war generation, and later, probably still carry in our collective memory some phrases from the great political oratories.
The phrase "broad, sunlit uplands" from Churchill's 'This was their finest hour' House of Commons speech was his call to national and Commonwealth resistance and sacrifice in June 1940, a mere month after becoming prime minister.The phrase "broad, sunlit uplands" from Churchill's 'This was their finest hour' House of Commons speech was his call to national and Commonwealth resistance and sacrifice in June 1940, a mere month after becoming prime minister.
On the other side of the House, Aneurin Bevan employed the oratorical mechanism of biblical allusions and the chapel cadences of his South Wales upbringing to foretell of a socialist heaven on earth.On the other side of the House, Aneurin Bevan employed the oratorical mechanism of biblical allusions and the chapel cadences of his South Wales upbringing to foretell of a socialist heaven on earth.
Speaking about the concessions he had to make to get the British Medical Association to back the nascent NHS, he said he had "stuffed their mouths with gold", an almost Old Testament-like reflection on what power expects.Speaking about the concessions he had to make to get the British Medical Association to back the nascent NHS, he said he had "stuffed their mouths with gold", an almost Old Testament-like reflection on what power expects.
Of course, political speeches, be they prosaic or pre-eminent, are made within the context of their times. Bevan's calculated seeing-off of an exhausted 'caretaker' Conservative government was done with a post-war general election in view.Of course, political speeches, be they prosaic or pre-eminent, are made within the context of their times. Bevan's calculated seeing-off of an exhausted 'caretaker' Conservative government was done with a post-war general election in view.
But irrespective of the circumstances, I would argue that British politicians in my own lifetime, such as Harold Macmillan, Michael Foot and Jennie Lee, used the power of language and metaphor not as an adornment to policy but, in some cases, as a way of encapsulating it.But irrespective of the circumstances, I would argue that British politicians in my own lifetime, such as Harold Macmillan, Michael Foot and Jennie Lee, used the power of language and metaphor not as an adornment to policy but, in some cases, as a way of encapsulating it.
Calm, elevate and pervadeCalm, elevate and pervade
Plato viewed rhetoric as the art of influencing and enhancing the soul through words.Plato viewed rhetoric as the art of influencing and enhancing the soul through words.
However if that collective soul is famished, the people perish - creating, in a manner, an intellectually emaciated nation who have been duped and spun away from the truth.However if that collective soul is famished, the people perish - creating, in a manner, an intellectually emaciated nation who have been duped and spun away from the truth.
It is not that I'm advocating that today's politicians suddenly douse their pronouncements with phrases from the major poetic and classical works. With a few exceptions, I doubt that many would know where to look.It is not that I'm advocating that today's politicians suddenly douse their pronouncements with phrases from the major poetic and classical works. With a few exceptions, I doubt that many would know where to look.
But as we saw with the opening ceremony at the Olympics, when Kenneth Branagh declaimed the "Be not afeared: the isle is full of noises" speech from The Tempest, the well-placed piece of visionary literature can calm, elevate and pervade an audience with the rumour of joy, a transient resurrection above, to quote Auden, "the age of anxiety… remote from the happy".But as we saw with the opening ceremony at the Olympics, when Kenneth Branagh declaimed the "Be not afeared: the isle is full of noises" speech from The Tempest, the well-placed piece of visionary literature can calm, elevate and pervade an audience with the rumour of joy, a transient resurrection above, to quote Auden, "the age of anxiety… remote from the happy".
Seamus Heaney observes that poems don't change the world "but what they do is they change people's understanding of what's going on in the world".Seamus Heaney observes that poems don't change the world "but what they do is they change people's understanding of what's going on in the world".
If that be so, then the seemingly barren and factional politics of our times could well benefit from the counsel, wisdom and long memory of poetry in its speeches.If that be so, then the seemingly barren and factional politics of our times could well benefit from the counsel, wisdom and long memory of poetry in its speeches.
With my plea am I expecting too much finesse from our political leaders, rather like asking a grizzly bear to carefully carry a meringue?With my plea am I expecting too much finesse from our political leaders, rather like asking a grizzly bear to carefully carry a meringue?
Our politicians are, after all, men and women of their time, frenetically responding to the demands of perpetual news with shrink-wrapped statements announced before they make them.Our politicians are, after all, men and women of their time, frenetically responding to the demands of perpetual news with shrink-wrapped statements announced before they make them.
Reading the drafts of David Cameron and Ed Miliband's party conference speeches from last autumn, I thought they were at their most focus group effective and in keeping with our sharing, baring times, when they introduced family anecdotes ruminating on the principles they inherited from their immediate elders.Reading the drafts of David Cameron and Ed Miliband's party conference speeches from last autumn, I thought they were at their most focus group effective and in keeping with our sharing, baring times, when they introduced family anecdotes ruminating on the principles they inherited from their immediate elders.
As such, that introduced a kind of ballad poetry to the platform - new folk song as opposed to oracle revelation, and that now would seem to be the template for modern political discourse.As such, that introduced a kind of ballad poetry to the platform - new folk song as opposed to oracle revelation, and that now would seem to be the template for modern political discourse.
Rhetorical timidityRhetorical timidity
Yet I remember an epithet from Michael Foot, in 1969, discussing the proposed reform of the House of Lords.Yet I remember an epithet from Michael Foot, in 1969, discussing the proposed reform of the House of Lords.
"Think of it!" the former Labour leader teased, "a second chamber selected by whips: a seraglio of eunuchs"."Think of it!" the former Labour leader teased, "a second chamber selected by whips: a seraglio of eunuchs".
I had to look up the word 'seraglio' - it means a harem in a Sultan's palace. No place for such erudition today. The Malcolm Tuckers would see to that.I had to look up the word 'seraglio' - it means a harem in a Sultan's palace. No place for such erudition today. The Malcolm Tuckers would see to that.
Perhaps you think I'm being too fanciful in my expectation of today's leaders ditching their rhetorical timidity for something, on occasion, a little more substantial, even sage-like?Perhaps you think I'm being too fanciful in my expectation of today's leaders ditching their rhetorical timidity for something, on occasion, a little more substantial, even sage-like?
Perhaps they are only responding to what appears to be the spirit of the age - that spirit being, at its worst, amnesiac regarding all that has brought us to now, and apparently untroubled by such 'unlearning'?Perhaps they are only responding to what appears to be the spirit of the age - that spirit being, at its worst, amnesiac regarding all that has brought us to now, and apparently untroubled by such 'unlearning'?
After all, Churchill and Bevan fashioned their awakening speeches when the workhouse was the welfare solution for the destitute, when wars reeked and raved, when nuclear proliferation threatened the brittle horizon of peace. Plus ça change.After all, Churchill and Bevan fashioned their awakening speeches when the workhouse was the welfare solution for the destitute, when wars reeked and raved, when nuclear proliferation threatened the brittle horizon of peace. Plus ça change.
Uncertain and desperate times are always with us. They enduringly call not only for judicious assessment by our political leaders but also, as our elected servants, to arouse a sense of their thoughts 'breathing' and 'burning' on our behalf.Uncertain and desperate times are always with us. They enduringly call not only for judicious assessment by our political leaders but also, as our elected servants, to arouse a sense of their thoughts 'breathing' and 'burning' on our behalf.
Is it too much to ask that they adopt the imaginative use of image and metaphor suggesting uplift, or even a bit of common or garden radiance, in contrast to the drab mantras of their latest policy initiative?Is it too much to ask that they adopt the imaginative use of image and metaphor suggesting uplift, or even a bit of common or garden radiance, in contrast to the drab mantras of their latest policy initiative?
Gustave Flaubert discerned that there is not a particle of life, which does not bear poetry within it. I would argue that the particles of legislation, which govern and order our lives, are sorely, more than ever in need of some elemental lyricism.Gustave Flaubert discerned that there is not a particle of life, which does not bear poetry within it. I would argue that the particles of legislation, which govern and order our lives, are sorely, more than ever in need of some elemental lyricism.
This is an edited version of Stewart Henderson's Four Thought, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 2045 BST on 8 May and available to listen to on the BBC website.This is an edited version of Stewart Henderson's Four Thought, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 2045 BST on 8 May and available to listen to on the BBC website.