The recent sale of an NFT poem for $75,000 could mark the beginning of a new era for poets around the world. The news is sure to have caught the attention of some writers who have not yet experienced the NFT markets growth or even considered joining it.
The recent NFT frenzy has mostly been focused on such visual art as compelling animations and loops, dynamic compositions, memeable icons, and all the other eye-candy digital technology has to offer.
However, now NFT poetry is rising to diversify digital media and open up a space for non-English language literature as international poets find a place to shine through the blockchain. The first Brazilian NFT poem has recently been published, and it is inspiring others to join the NFT wave and hopefully gain the attention of their countrys artistic communities.
Poetry‘s hitherto lack of popularity in the NFT scene is only a reflection of its steady decline in society. As screens steal our minds’ eyes with endless streams of information and visual stimuli, there is little space for getting lost in verses that transmit no objective information. As Brazilian poet Paulo Leminski once said, “I think that poetry is useless. Poetry‘s only reason for being is that it is part of those useless things in life that need no justification because they are the very raison d’être of life.”
The contemporary entertainment industry seemed to have inflicted a death sentence upon poetry for the current generation. However, as poets slowly catch on to the NFT wave, the medium could grab the attention of digital art consumers. NFTs could also give poetry some room to breathe and blossom within a community that is revolutionizing the ways in which art is published and sold.
Another important contribution of NFT poetry would be integrating the visually impaired into this new market. Many visually impaired individuals are active and savvy internet users thanks to the development of accessible technology. While these individuals have limited access to exclusively visual art pieces, poetry can be read out loud by a software reader or even published in recited form, making the NFT market more inclusive and diverse.
Poetry is for all; when done wholeheartedly, it is a brave endeavor undertaken by those who do not constrain themselves within the borders of language, going beyond their comfort zone to convert the feelings of the masses, word by word, into a piece of art. Such libertarian artists should not be left out from the era of decentralized art.
On the Flipside
Although poetry is not yet widespread, the NFT world is home to other kinds of interdisciplinary and engaging works of art, such as comic cartoons and graphic novels. These other forms are integrating and popularizing NFT literature, contributing to the diversification of the NFT art portfolio and expanding the audiences it can reach. This kind of endeavor takes NFTs one step closer to becoming a truly democratic medium for art exchange.