Bewildering Stories welcomes...

Oren Eilam

Oren lives in Israel, where he was born. He has an advanced degree in Psychology. He has many favorite pastimes, particularly poetry and chess.

“Poetry’s Victory” is a philosophical poem, one that would find a welcome and a home in French literature. But it is not really about poetry as such: rather, it examines the nature of communication itself and how the mode of communication defines people as individuals.

What would become of poetry — and poets — if it ceased to be written and were replaced by direct mental communication, be it electronic or telepathic? The consequences may yet be the stuff of science fiction today, but the poem suggests that we would find ourselves in an uncreative, incoherent world that would surpass the wildest dreams of the Borg hive-mind, that arch-villain of Star Trek fame.

What shall we make of the title of the poem? If the poem describes the fate of poetry in a humanity that has lost the use of language, then it is bitterly ironic. If, on the other hand, the title implies that poetry will be with us as long as we are physically and mentally able to write it, then there may be hope for us yet.

Oren Eilam’s bio sketch can be found here.

Welcome to Bewildering Stories, Oren. We hope to hear from you again soon and often!