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A third advantage of the parallel technique is its intrinsic resemblance and loyalty to the logical workings of the human mind, so that it is, ultimately, an instrument of coherence and intelligibility. The presence of philosophic logic in poetry need not, as these poems have shown, be a game of cold abstractions. It is rather an element of that search for the most perfect adaptation of words to subject matter, the art of communication, the delicate graces of rhetoric. Rhetoric comprehends both the philosophic mode and the poetical mode, utilising the resources of both as channels of expression.
Finally, in the context of improvised poetry, Sri Chinmoy avails himself of rhetorical parallelism in order to overcome, the specialised demands of his subject matter. As Homer reserved certain formulaic phrases and schemes to facilitate the machinery of his narrative, so Sri Chinmoy brings into play a number of outstanding paradigmatic models-such as sequences of time, colour and human attributes-to deal with particular emotional or spiritual conditions. As a craftsman he is able to absorb these models or formulae into the living texture of his verse, so that the student of his poetry encounters a blend of the familiar and the unexpected. Of this practice, C.M.Bowra writes:
Most formulae are traditional and familiar, and their very familiarity makes the audience feel at home and know in, what world of imagination it is moving ... the formulae come to be liked for their own sake as old friends...[33]
For the oral poet, the primary need is not self-communion but expression, public expression under the stress of rapid composition. To this end, the habitual forms of popular speech become his basic tools.
As an oral poet, as a rhetorical poet and as a spiritual poet, Sri Chinmoy is at once bold and resourceful, sensitive and practical. His gift goes far deeper than the ability to create intelligible structures, for behind this lies the deeper power to organise experience, to see the truth from various angles and invite his readers to participate in that experience.
