Can poetry effect change in society?

Question:Is the pen indeed mightier than the sword?

Can you offer examples?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Is the pen indeed mightier than the sword?

Can you offer examples?

Dr. Sueuss broadened the minds of millions of children through his poetry. There's no way to measure that kind of influence, but I'm sure it helped society appreciate our differences in a positive way.

Green Eggs And Ham, by the way teaches one of the most successful sales tactics known to man. PERSISTANCE! I've actually seen it used as a salesmanship guide!

For me, personally, I find reading poetry very soothing to the soul. It reminds me that in this overbearing world of shallow commercialism, there are real thinking and sensitive people who truly appreciate the value of the gift of life and are moved to write beautiful things about it. I love people who write poetry! So, on an individual level, poetry does help me keep from losing hope in this plastic world. It prevents change rather than effects it. Without poetry, to some degree I would gradually be changing by losing heart believing that mankind is losing his soul.