Poetry is that art which selects and arranges the symbols of thought in such a manner as to excite the imagination the most powerfully and delightfully. William C. Bryant on poetry
The nerds are my favourite sort of boys - any guy with a passion - whether it be physics or film or writing or poetry even, I think it's super sweet and it's very attractive for a female. Teresa Palmer on poetry
I've been writing a lot of poetry recently. It helps me think and work things out. Ed Westwick on poetry
I think poetry is best read to oneself. Rickie Lee Jones on poetry
Deep feeling doesn't make for good poetry. A way with language would be a bit of help. Thom Gunn on poetry
My old teacher's definition of poetry is an attempt to understand. Thom Gunn on poetry
There have been two popular subjects for poetry in the last few decades: the Vietnam War and AIDS, about both of which almost all of us have felt deeply. Thom Gunn on poetry
And I know I'm supposed to feel guilty for wanting people to buy my books... and books in general? Novels and poetry, they belong to the realm of art. How dirty of us to try to hawk art! But, after a decade of hand-wringing and apologies, I can't quite muster the guilt anymore. Julianna Baggott on poetry
American poetry, like American painting, is always personal with an emphasis on the individuality of the poet. Diane Wakoski on poetry
But I am not political in the current events sense, and I have never wanted anyone to read my poetry that way. Diane Wakoski on poetry
But I don't think that poetry is a good, to use a contemporary word, venue, for current events. Diane Wakoski on poetry
High and low culture come together in all Post Modern art, and American poetry is not excluded from this. Diane Wakoski on poetry
I definitely wish to distinguish American poetry from British or other English language poetry. Diane Wakoski on poetry
Still, language is resilient, and poetry when it is pressured simply goes underground. Diane Wakoski on poetry
Because, in fact, women, feminists, do read my poetry, and they read it often with the power of their political interpretation. I don't care that's what poetry is supposed to do. Diane Wakoski on poetry
I'm perfectly happy when I look out at an audience and it's all women. I always think it's kind of odd, but then, more women than men, I think, read and write poetry. Diane Wakoski on poetry
PC stuff just lowers the general acceptance of good work and replaces it with bogus poetry that celebrates values that in themselves are probably quite worthy. Diane Wakoski on poetry
Distinctly American poetry is usually written in the context of one's geographic landscape, sometimes out of one's cultural myths, and often with reference to gender and race or ethnic origins. Diane Wakoski on poetry
From reading a previous answer, you know that I consider all those aspects to be part of American cultural myth and thus they figure into good American poetry, whether the poet is aware of what he is doing or not. Diane Wakoski on poetry