Analysis of Ars Poetica part 22

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Some imagine poetry to be the gift of nature while others believe that poetry is the result of art. The question is raised whether art or nature is responsible for good verse. According to Horace, just like study is useless without a vein of genius and skills without training. Similarly art and nature, both are essential for achieving good verse. There is a lot of hard work required for achieving excellence in any field. A person has to practise very hard in order to be successful. Whether it be an athlete who wants to win the Olympic prize or it be a musician who wants the perfect note of music, a very painful effort is required. A person has to abandon the wine and get rid of the sweet joys of love. Similarly a poet also has to labour hard in order to achieve a great literary work. But there are some poetasters who believe that they are the men of genius and so they do not want to correct themselves.

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