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John Ciardi Quotes

Poet

John Ciardi was an American poet born on June 24, 1916, and died on March 30, 1986. Known for his clear and direct style of poetry, he had a profound impact on 20th-century American poetry.

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All Men Needs Writing Happens Ifs Way Beer Civilization Enough Knows Poet Poetry Reader Access Art Boys Cash Character Conviction Faculty

Famous John Ciardi Quotes

“Conviction is possible only in a world more primitive than ours can be perceived to be. A man can achieve a simply gnomic conviction only by ignoring the radical describers of his environment, or by hating them, as convinced men have hated, say, Darwin and Freud, as agents of some devil.”

Men World Hate Environment Achieve Devil Conviction Convinced Agents Radical Hated Primitive Be A Man

Author:John Ciardi

“A man is what he does with his attention and mine is not for sale.”

Men Doe Attention Mines

Book:Selected poems

Source: Selected poems

“It is easy enough to praise men for the courage of their conviction. I wish I could teach the sad young of this mealy generation the courage of their convictions.”

Men Enough Young Wish Easy Teach Courage Generations Bravery Praise Conviction

Book:Manner of Speaking

Source: Manner of Speaking

“Nothing goes further toward a man's liberation than the act of surviving his need for character.”

Men Needs Character Survival Liberation Surviving

Author:John Ciardi

“If a man means his writing seriously, he must mean to write well. But how can he write well until he learns to see what he has written badly. His progress toward good writing and his recognition of bad writing are bound to unfold at something like the same rate.”

Ifs Men Writing Wells Mean Progress Written Rate Bounds Recognition Good Writing Bad Writing

Author:John Ciardi

“Men marry what they need. I marry you.”

Men Needs Marriage

Book:Poems of Love and Marriage

Source: Poems of Love and Marriage

About the Author

Born: June 24, 1916
Died: March 30, 1986
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 54

Books & Sources

Dialogue with an audienceRelated source material

Manner of SpeakingRelated source material

The Achievement of John Ciardi: A Comprehensive Selection of His Poems with a Critical IntroductionRelated source material

The Monster Den: or Look What Happened at My House — and to ItRelated source material

This strangest everythingRelated source material

An Introduction to Literature: How does a poem mean? By J. CiardiRelated source material

Ciardi himself: fifteen essays in the reading, writing, and teaching of poetryRelated source material

InfernoRelated source material

Poems of Love and MarriageRelated source material

Selected poemsRelated source material

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