SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Dear Sathya :
Your basic question is so general in nature that the only answer to it is , "Of course . "
But if I may , I believe that what you really want to know is , "Do poets have a special social
responsibility ?"
In answer to this , I must say that I do not believe that this special social responsibility
is inherent in the fact that someone writes poetry . Many poets do not address the many public
social problems that are present in society . And I , for one , am not ready to condemn them for
not addressing these issues . Poets do have a special voice on social issues and in a perfect world
all poets would use that public voice for that purpose . But we do not live in a perfect world . I
believe , that above all other things , a poet must follow his or her own heart and conscience .
If it leads them to speak out , then all the better . But if it does not , I do not believe that other
poets have the charter to condemn them for their silence . Such condemnation is reserved for the
ultimate judge of all things . "Judge not , lest ye be judged ."

Greenwolfe 1962