In the film Dead Poet’s Society Robin William plays John Keating, a literature professor. An iconic role for Williams, he poses this question to his class at an all boys prep academy:
“Language was invented for one endeavor, and that is?…”
(Pointing to one of his students)
“Mr. Anderson? C’mon are you a man or an amoeba?”
(Anderson is an amoeba)
“Mr. Perry?”
Mr. Perry replies: (with a ponder) “To Communicate?”
“No! To Woo Women!”
A rather tongue in cheek declaration to a class filled with adolescent boys. But shortly thereafter he professed the real reason language was invented: “No matter what anybody tells you, Words and Ideas can change the world…” He goes on to say: “We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion.” Listen and maybe you’ll understand why we believe in, produce and sustain the poets: