In this article I will discuss my decision to become apolitical and explain this in light of my recent post about it on my instagram page.

Introduction

For a long time I carried the burden of other people’s opinions. I thought poets must have opinions on issues that are going around in the world. This was because, as a child, I would see adults discuss this topic over and over with such seriousness and I thought every person must think about political events, stay informed and have an opinion.

This all changed slowly. Over time I realised that I was uncomfortable presenting poems. This year (a deleted post) I presented for a radical organisation at a certain university regarding a certain political event that was taking part in the world.

I felt uncomfrtable during the entire process and the after process and the discomfort remained with me for many months. I realised that I need to study where this is coming from. I presented a poem for a country and I realised three things:

• I was being used as a pawn by members who were pushing a political agenda as my message for peace was a message that no one wanted to hear.
• The organisation I was representing didn’t actually want to build bridges but were more interested in pushing their opinions out.
• I felt uncomfortable because many people who were partisan were quite sectarian and perhaps even hateful. The line could get blurred from time to time in that realm of thinking.

There was a deeper reason why I was uncomfortable and that was the reason. Sometimes you have to do something to realise what you don’t want to do. I realised that I wanted to transcend politics and make an impact where I discuss ideals and values rather than events and what the correct position is. I thought about poets that I admired like Rumi or Marley and I wanted to follow them in the way that they try to transcend binary politics to discover the truth.

The truth was what concerned me, my image too. I didn’t want to be viewed as a partisan, black and white opinionated person because I am not that person. I decided never to write a political poem again and never to take sides and be used as a pawn to present poems where I indirectly push agendas that I might not even be aware of.

What is apolitical? Does it have depth?

Far from being a lazy position, apolitical artists take a deliberate decision to avoid polarisation, partisan bias, political stress, propaganda, hostility & identity politics.They do this to transcend politics and focus on art and promoting positive ideas that are beneficial to humanity like unity, love, beauty and wisdom.

If every artist with a platform, large or small, constantly gets involved in politics then where will the people find a break from the day to day chains of reality?Who can the people trust to listen to about important universal messages? How can someone call themselves a poet of love if they are partial with their message of love and compassion?

It’s alright if others disagree but this has been something I’ve wanted to do for a while and something that has sat with me intellectually and spiritually for a long time now.I want to be far sighted and transcend opinions to focus on discussing messages related to ideals and values. This is why my brand will remain apolitical going forward.

Notable Apolitical Poets Throughout History

In both medieval and ancient times, poetry often intertwined with religion, philosophy, and myth, but some poets remained detached from the political dynamics of their day, focusing on more spiritual, artistic, or philosophical concerns. Here are a few from both Eastern and Western traditions during those periods:

Medieval Poets (East and West)

1. Li Bai (701–762) – China

• Style/Themes: A renowned Tang dynasty poet, Li Bai was known for his nature poetry, wine-inspired musings, and reflections on the human condition. Although he lived during a politically tumultuous time, his works often stayed away from direct political commentary, focusing more on personal freedom, nature, and existential thoughts.
• Notable Works: Drinking Alone by Moonlight, Quiet Night Thought

2. Jalāl ad-Dīn Rūmī (1207–1273) – Persia (modern-day Afghanistan/Turkey)

• Style/Themes: Rumi’s poetry is deeply mystical, focusing on themes of love, unity with the divine, and spiritual transcendence. He did not involve himself in political matters, instead dedicating his life and poetry to exploring the relationship between the human soul and the divine.
• Notable Works: Masnavi, Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi

3. Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) – Italy

• Style/Themes: While Dante is remembered for his Divine Comedy, which does contain references to politics, his larger focus was on the soul’s journey toward God, the structure of the cosmos, and human morality. Much of his poetic output can be considered apolitical in the sense that it focused on the individual’s spiritual journey rather than political activism.
• Notable Works: Divine Comedy, La Vita Nuova

4. Mīrābāī (c. 1498–1547) – India

• Style/Themes: A 16th-century poet-saint from Rajasthan, Mirabai composed devotional poetry to Krishna. She distanced herself from the politics of her royal upbringing, instead devoting her life and poetry to spiritual love, the worship of God, and renunciation of worldly affairs.
• Notable Works: Poems of Devotion to Krishna (various bhajans)

Ancient Poets (East and West)

1. Sappho (c. 630–570 BCE) – Ancient Greece

• Style/Themes: Sappho’s poetry centers on personal emotions, love, and relationships, often with a focus on passion and the inner life. Though she lived in a politically complex period, her poetry remains mostly apolitical, dealing with intimate, personal themes.
• Notable Works: Most of her poems survive only in fragments, but her lyrical poetry is celebrated for its emotional depth.

2. Bashō (1644–1694) – Japan

• Style/Themes: A master of the haiku, Bashō’s poetry often centered on nature, simplicity, and spiritual reflection. He lived during the Edo period but remained detached from political movements, focusing instead on Zen-inspired meditations on life and nature.
• Notable Works: The Narrow Road to the Deep North (a travelogue of poems)

3. Horace (65–8 BCE) – Ancient Rome

• Style/Themes: Although Horace held positions under the Roman Empire, much of his poetry is apolitical and focuses on the philosophy of life, the pursuit of contentment, friendship, and the fleeting nature of human existence. His Odes are philosophical and often focus on personal and reflective themes.
• Notable Works: Odes, Satires

4. The Bhagavad Gita (5th–2nd century BCE) – India

• Style/Themes: While technically part of the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita is a philosophical and spiritual text that uses dialogue between Prince Arjuna and the god Krishna to explore the nature of duty, ethics, and the soul. Although situated within a political conflict (the Kurukshetra war), the poem transcends the political and delves into metaphysical and ethical questions.
• Notable Works: The Bhagavad Gita (as part of Mahabharata)

5. Omar Khayyam (1048–1131) – Persia

• Style/Themes: Known for his Rubaiyat, Khayyam’s poetry often reflects on life’s fleeting nature, the joys of wine, and the mystery of existence. He lived through the political tensions of the Seljuk Empire but remained detached, focusing instead on existential musings and the pleasures of life.
• Notable Works: Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

These poets, both in the East and the West, often engaged with deeper spiritual, philosophical, or personal matters, leaving the political landscape mostly in the background. Their works reflect a focus on nature, love, existence, and the divine rather than political activism or commentary.

Conclusion

When I read these poets I have a good feeling about them and I want to become like them. Taking a position that is apolitical feels very good to me. It feels right, it allows me to take my time, think things through. It does give me a privelige and in an unpriveleged world I need that. It gives me the privelige of waiting, researching and observing what is happening without comitting myself to a view.

It gives me the option to step back and not commit myself to a view. I feel like if I did that before in my life I wouldn’t have got involved in debates, I wouldn’t have lost friends and I would have way less stress. The truth is, shakespeares works show us that there’s alot of actors in politics that are complex, unpredictable and mysterious. The current world reflects this. I don’t know who those actors are and I don’t know what they are doing now and I don’t know if I want to support them. This is the wisest approach for me.

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