We're all just animals. That's all we are, and everything else is just an elaborate justification of our instincts. That's where music comes from. And romantic poetry. And bad novels. Elvis Costello animalbadelaborate Change image and share on social
None but a poet can write a tragedy. For tragedy is nothing less than pain transmuted into exaltation by the alchemy of poetry. Edith Hamilton alchemyexaltationpain Change image and share on social
As things get worse, poetry gets better because it becomes more necessary. Eileen Myles badlypoetrything Change image and share on social
There have always been great defenses of poetry, and I've tried to write mine, and I think all of my work and criticism is a defense of poetry to try and keep something alive in poetry. Edward Hirsch alivecriticismdefense Change image and share on social
For my part, if I consider poetry as an object, I maintain that it is born of the necessity of adding a vocal sound (speech) to the hammering of the first tribal music. Eugenio Montale addbearhammer Change image and share on social
Poetry is a political act because it involves telling the truth. June Jordan actinvolvepoetry Change image and share on social
If a poem is not memorable, there's probably something wrong. One of the problems of free verse is that much of the free verse poetry is not memorable. Robert Morgan freememorablepoem Change image and share on social
On July 26, 1916, I announced to all my friends in America that from now on I resolved to write no more poems in the classical language, and to begin my experiments in writing poetry in the so-called vulgar tongue of the people. Hu Shih americaannouncebegin share on social
I think of myself as an ambassador of the arts. In my heart of hearts, I know the world would by a more peaceful, tender place if we were more moved by the poetry around us. Tim Seibles ambassadorartheart Change image and share on social
The true spirit of delight, the exaltation, the sense of being more than Man, which is the touchstone of the highest excellence, is to be found in mathematics as surely as poetry. Bertrand Russell delightexaltationexcellence Change image and share on social
