Nothing is too small. Nothing is too, quote-unquote, ordinary or insignificant. Those are the things that make up the measure of our days, and they're the things that sustain us. And they're the things that certainly can become worthy of poetry. Rita Dove dayinsignificantmake share on social
In its truest manifestation, where it gives judgments, poetry is super-luxury. It would be interesting to see what would happen to a High Court judge if he were forced to follow the true poetic formula, doing the job for love, being forced into pubs for relief. Patrick Kavanagh courtfollowforce share on social
The poetry of a people comes from the deep recesses of the unconscious, the irrational and the collective body of our ancestral memories. Margaret Walker ancestralbodycollective Change image and share on social
When I hit a block, regardless of what I am writing, what the subject matter is, or what's going on in the plot, I go back and I read Pablo Neruda's poetry. I don't actually speak Spanish, so I read it translation. But I always go back to Neruda. I don't know why, but it calms me, calms my brain. Tea Obreht backblockbrain share on social
Everyone thinks they're going to write one book of poems or one novel. Marilyn Hacker bookpoemthink Change image and share on social
In fact a lot of them I think are absolute baloney. Those Charles Olsens and people like that. At first I was interested in seeing what they were up to, what they were doing, why they were doing it. They never moved me in the way that one is moved by true poetry. Norman MacCaig absolutebaloneycharle share on social
Poetry is a natural energy resource of our country. It has no energy crisis, possessing a potential that will last as long as the country. Its power is equal to that of any country in the world. Richard Eberhart countrycrisisenergy Change image and share on social
The great watershed of modern poetry is French, more than English. Robert Morgan englishfrenchgreat Change image and share on social
Part of what we love about poetry is the fact that it seems ancient, that it has an authority of ancient language and ancient form, and that it's timeless, that it reaches back. Robert Morgan ancientauthorityback Change image and share on social
I did not have a very literary background. I came to poetry from the sciences and mathematics, and also through an interest in Japanese and Chinese poetry in translation. Robert Morgan backgroundchineseinterest Change image and share on social