Can striving for greatness be virtuous? Visiting with classmates makes me question our individual and collective ambitions. Diving into a poem by James Matthew Wilson. BONUS: A list of poetry contests
I would like to reflect on the word 'genius'. Sometimes it is thrown about in the wrong way. But what do we mean by it? We mean a deep conviction of inchoate powers so strong that it cannot be deflected or thwarted, whatever the adverse circumstances encountered; a genius that is amply demonstrated by the art later achieved.
This was true of Dante, a supreme poet, and Frost, a great poet.
They knew they had an inner power beyong their conscious control, an imperative poetic 'voice' that spoke through them.
But such a conviction of the god within, the tutelary spirit of genius, is for the few. Human ambition plays its part in this conviction; but Aquinas is also right: ambition for mere fame - a common poetical weakness - is sinful because it cannot escape pride, envy and so on.
However, if we are ambitious 'for the things of God', as St Paul might say, the ambition becomes shot through with love, piety, humility. In other words it is transformed into a response to a vocation, a calling. Dante and Frost would have experienced this transformed 'ambition' in its purified sense.
I conclude with reference to the parable of the talents, a parable which has exercised me over the years. We might say that the man given the ten talents is a Dante or a Shakespeare; the man given five talents is a Robert Frost or a TS Eliot; the man given one talent is - perhaps! - the rest of us.
What matters is to embrace wholeheartedly the talent we are given, not to worry about the talents of others, and not bury our own talent in the ground through fear, lack of confidence, laziness or whatever.
Thank you, Francis. I agree. And I also thought of the parable of the talents as I was writing this. I also thought about St. Paul’s letter to the Roman’s about ambition. In a sense, we should do things not for ourselves but for otters, this for God. He accepts everything with love, but also deserves the best of us. However, if we do things for ourselves then we are tossing our achievements in a bottomless pit. Humans always want; satisfaction is elusive.
It’s certainly been a time for me to reflect, as a 50yo who just started writing poetry and essays, whether it’s worth it for me to expend energy on art rather than “hustle” for financial stability. However, prayer has led me to writing. I can’t explain it. I certainly don’t think I’m a genius, but if I write I want it to be the best “I” can accomplish, not for my own pride, but I think my friends deserve to not have their time wasted. Therefore, I’m ambitious with my essays out of love for my friends — and with faith in God I believe this is what I’m meant to do.
Thanks for this intriguing reflection, Zina. There is ambition but also gratitude in Dante's depiction of Virgil. I wonder if one warning sign is when rivalry towards one's artistic peers and mentors trumps gratitude. It seems then that "healthy" ambition has given way to envy and pride.
Yes, that’s a great point about Virgil, the other great poet I didn’t mention. I also now wonder if the poet-speaker of “Ambition” (I.e. James) isn’t serving as a type of Virgil for me, the Dantesque reader. James leads people down to see the perils of ambition.
And to your point about, jealousy… I think it’s easy to feel jealous. I think as a younger woman I would have struggled more. As a 50yo woman who only started writing poetry 3-4 years ago I’ve actually let go of a lot. There’s more life behind me than before me, thus little pressure to achieve “greatness” because there simply isn’t enough time to attain it. It’s given me the great blessing of perspective, and it given me the opportunity to model for younger ambitious people how to be happy for my peers’ achievements.
However, since time is finite, I don’t want to waste anyone’s time with bad writing, so I am ambitious with my own work if I make it public. I think my friends (which I consider all my readers to be) deserve more. Really it’s an act of love. I hope that comes across in my poetry and other writing.
As an honest minor writer and 99 percent atheist, I aspire to be my best writer self. This ambition seems honorable to me. It gets complicated by the humiliating stab of envy toward writers who are getting more ink and selling more books—the “sots and thralls,”
as Hopkins called them. I am at peace with myself when I focus on where I am on my path, as opposed to where others might be.
You are a fine writer and I am happy to be your reader! I think this is a great secular perspective, and in a sense I firmly relate to this. As a young woman I used to be much more envious. I feel so blessed to be 50yo because it seems to be the age where I don’t care about a ton of stuff. More life behind me than before me and thus I just do things for the love of doing them. The high bar is still there because I don’t want to waste my friends’ time. I want to give them my very best writing.
Comparison is the devil, as some say. I think when this taints ambition it corrupts the heart. That’s the danger.
It is hard to measure greatness. I mean, just because we think something is great doesn't mean that it is. The problem is that material success is a form of feedback, validation that we are on the right path. However, you look at Dickinson and Hopkins and you see that they were great and didn't get recognized in their lifetimes. You just do the work and you don't know. It is hard to create art for free though. I am struggling right now with how to afford to create art. Fortunately poetry doesn't require much than a typing device or pen and paper. Sculptors, photographers, painters, etc. it is different. Even many dancers need studio space, music, etc.
Thank you Zina for your stimulating reflection.
I would like to reflect on the word 'genius'. Sometimes it is thrown about in the wrong way. But what do we mean by it? We mean a deep conviction of inchoate powers so strong that it cannot be deflected or thwarted, whatever the adverse circumstances encountered; a genius that is amply demonstrated by the art later achieved.
This was true of Dante, a supreme poet, and Frost, a great poet.
They knew they had an inner power beyong their conscious control, an imperative poetic 'voice' that spoke through them.
But such a conviction of the god within, the tutelary spirit of genius, is for the few. Human ambition plays its part in this conviction; but Aquinas is also right: ambition for mere fame - a common poetical weakness - is sinful because it cannot escape pride, envy and so on.
However, if we are ambitious 'for the things of God', as St Paul might say, the ambition becomes shot through with love, piety, humility. In other words it is transformed into a response to a vocation, a calling. Dante and Frost would have experienced this transformed 'ambition' in its purified sense.
I conclude with reference to the parable of the talents, a parable which has exercised me over the years. We might say that the man given the ten talents is a Dante or a Shakespeare; the man given five talents is a Robert Frost or a TS Eliot; the man given one talent is - perhaps! - the rest of us.
What matters is to embrace wholeheartedly the talent we are given, not to worry about the talents of others, and not bury our own talent in the ground through fear, lack of confidence, laziness or whatever.
Thank you, Francis. I agree. And I also thought of the parable of the talents as I was writing this. I also thought about St. Paul’s letter to the Roman’s about ambition. In a sense, we should do things not for ourselves but for otters, this for God. He accepts everything with love, but also deserves the best of us. However, if we do things for ourselves then we are tossing our achievements in a bottomless pit. Humans always want; satisfaction is elusive.
It’s certainly been a time for me to reflect, as a 50yo who just started writing poetry and essays, whether it’s worth it for me to expend energy on art rather than “hustle” for financial stability. However, prayer has led me to writing. I can’t explain it. I certainly don’t think I’m a genius, but if I write I want it to be the best “I” can accomplish, not for my own pride, but I think my friends deserve to not have their time wasted. Therefore, I’m ambitious with my essays out of love for my friends — and with faith in God I believe this is what I’m meant to do.
Thanks for this intriguing reflection, Zina. There is ambition but also gratitude in Dante's depiction of Virgil. I wonder if one warning sign is when rivalry towards one's artistic peers and mentors trumps gratitude. It seems then that "healthy" ambition has given way to envy and pride.
Yes, that’s a great point about Virgil, the other great poet I didn’t mention. I also now wonder if the poet-speaker of “Ambition” (I.e. James) isn’t serving as a type of Virgil for me, the Dantesque reader. James leads people down to see the perils of ambition.
And to your point about, jealousy… I think it’s easy to feel jealous. I think as a younger woman I would have struggled more. As a 50yo woman who only started writing poetry 3-4 years ago I’ve actually let go of a lot. There’s more life behind me than before me, thus little pressure to achieve “greatness” because there simply isn’t enough time to attain it. It’s given me the great blessing of perspective, and it given me the opportunity to model for younger ambitious people how to be happy for my peers’ achievements.
However, since time is finite, I don’t want to waste anyone’s time with bad writing, so I am ambitious with my own work if I make it public. I think my friends (which I consider all my readers to be) deserve more. Really it’s an act of love. I hope that comes across in my poetry and other writing.
As an honest minor writer and 99 percent atheist, I aspire to be my best writer self. This ambition seems honorable to me. It gets complicated by the humiliating stab of envy toward writers who are getting more ink and selling more books—the “sots and thralls,”
as Hopkins called them. I am at peace with myself when I focus on where I am on my path, as opposed to where others might be.
You are a fine writer and I am happy to be your reader! I think this is a great secular perspective, and in a sense I firmly relate to this. As a young woman I used to be much more envious. I feel so blessed to be 50yo because it seems to be the age where I don’t care about a ton of stuff. More life behind me than before me and thus I just do things for the love of doing them. The high bar is still there because I don’t want to waste my friends’ time. I want to give them my very best writing.
Comparison is the devil, as some say. I think when this taints ambition it corrupts the heart. That’s the danger.
Yes. Why should we allow ourselves to be mediocre? Greatness is not synonymous with public recognition or ambition.
It is hard to measure greatness. I mean, just because we think something is great doesn't mean that it is. The problem is that material success is a form of feedback, validation that we are on the right path. However, you look at Dickinson and Hopkins and you see that they were great and didn't get recognized in their lifetimes. You just do the work and you don't know. It is hard to create art for free though. I am struggling right now with how to afford to create art. Fortunately poetry doesn't require much than a typing device or pen and paper. Sculptors, photographers, painters, etc. it is different. Even many dancers need studio space, music, etc.