Arielle Cottingham

Let Liberty Lead Us; Connecting the Radical Poetry of Cottingham, Eminem and Shelley

Let Liberty Lead Us; Connecting the Radical Poetry of Cottingham, Eminem and Shelley

My point in drawing attention to these two modern poets is to remind us that one of the true fountainheads of radical opposition to tyranny and oppression was Shelley. And whether modern poets knowingly operate in that tradition, as Cottingham appears to, or not, they do function as the voice of the people and in that sense as our representatives; or as Shelley would have said, as our legislators. Eminem has drawn his line in the sand. Shelley has discharged his collected lightening. Arielle Cottingham has unleashed her hurricane. They are all philanthropos tropos: lovers of humanity. Let's join them at the barricades. Let Liberty lead us.