The Suffering Servant Syndrome in Contemporary Love Poetry

Artistic expression of all kinds including contemporary love poetry, has repeatedly addressed the theme of the suffering servant throughout the course of history. It is still a common topic today and will likely continue to be one in the future.

What is the underlying element with respect to the suffering servant syndrome as it pertains to contemporary love poets, literary critics and readers? Perhaps no one really knows, but where there is love, there is also non-love. Where there is the divine, there is also the human aspect in contemporary love poetry. To be human means suffering and non-suffering, as part of the human condition. No human being is totally exempt from suffering at some time, or in some way. Even the divine in Christianity suffers on behalf of humankind, as a demonstration of God's divine love for man.

Suffering in conjunction with non-suffering, involves a collection of pain and no pain for the divine and man. For man, reaching out to the divine can bring about a release from pain and suffering, but it also may mean assuming the role of servant, even as God serves man and in turn, man serves God, as understood from a Christian perspective. The contemporary love poet often assumes the role of the suffering servant, as he or she speaks as a servant conveying the message of the divine to others.

At other times, he or she may profess to be the divine, appearing to assume the actual role of the divine rather than merely acting as the messenger, or servant for the divine. Since the divine knows suffering too, it is not totally unrealistic, although it may interpreted by others as schizophrenia or mental illness, rather than as the contemporary love poet merely acting as an instrument who conveys a divine message via his or her contemporary love poetry.

There is a melding together of oneness, or unity between the contemporary love poet, or man in general, with the divine. Contemporary love poetry reflects the contemporary love poet's stance and reflects his or her understanding of the divine, as well as the role of the suffering servant. The contemporary love poet may also speak as two distinct voices at times, or just as one voice. He or she may appear to be arguing with the divine, pleading a cause, or seeking healing from the divine in his or her contemporary love poetry.

Contemporary love poetry critics often have 'a field day', so to speak, when analysis of the work of a contemporary love poet is carried out, and may seek to condemn or crucify the poet for what he or she has written. Not all critics can relate to, or comprehend the words of all contemporary love poets in exactly the same way. The same is true for readers, and yet each one can relate to the suffering servant syndrome in one way or another. The use of dialogue in contemporary love poetry is merely an effective writing tool for contemporary love poets. Discourse of any kind is often conducive to understanding, as well as revealing the role of the suffering servant. 

The suffering servant syndrome in contemporary love poetry does not necessarily find effective resolution by the contemporary love poet. At times, the suffering may be there for future resolution in other eras, but the theme continues to address the status of the individual, the couple, the family, the group or community and even the country, world or universe in some way, as the suffering servant syndrome is applicable to all of humankind, at one time or another.