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Katy Lederer Quotes

Poet

Katy Lederer is a poet known for her unique perspective and profound emotional expression in her work. Her exact birth and death dates are unknown.

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All Thinking Writing Poet Book Capitalist Finance Forests Good Book Ifs One Thing

Famous Katy Lederer Quotes

“We live in a capitalist system; anyone who believes they are above this system or purer than this system, even while shopping at the cute organic market across the street or taking a hiking vacation to Guatemala, is certifiable.”

Believe Streets Capitalism Cute Shopping Vacation Capitalist Hiking Guatemala

Author:Katy Lederer

“I think it is extremely interesting to think that, in some cases, vice might be, finally, more redemptive than virtue.”

Thinking Might Interesting Cases Virtue Vices

Author:Katy Lederer

“Today, from the bridge, the East River is sparkling. The money is swirling around the tall buildings like tides or like tithes, And I wonder, does anyone swim in this river, I wonder, does anyone pray?”

Doe Today Wonder Building Praying Rivers East Bridges Swim Tall Tides Sparkling Tithe Tall Buildings

Author:Katy Lederer

“It is bizarre that some people can't understand how a serious poet could work at a finance firm. Goethe was a bureaucrat. Eliot worked as a banker.”

People Serious Poet Finance Firm Bizarre Bankers Bureaucrats Eliot

Author:Katy Lederer

“I do not play the instrument In longing but in quest Not to be undertaken Not to be lost In a forest of bliss.”

Play Lost Instruments Longing Forests Bliss Quests

Author:Katy Lederer

“The sum of the parts equals less than the whole. Or the howl. Or the how. Or the hole.”

Whole Holes Howl

Book:The Heaven-sent Leaf: Poems

Source: The Heaven-sent Leaf: Poems

“I do think most poets are in denial about what the real taboos in writing are--the real boundaries.”

Thinking Writing Real Poet Boundaries Denial Taboo

Author:Katy Lederer

“The ghosts of Rilke and Wordsworth--along with the 300+ MFA programs, which now seem to employ all Living Poets--have misled the American public egregiously into thinking that poets are morally pure and/or useless.”

Thinking Seems Poet Pure Program Ghost Useless Misled Wordsworth

Author:Katy Lederer

“There is, in the heart, the hard-rendering profit. As if we were plucking the leaves from the trees.”

Ifs Heart Hard Tree Profit Rendering

Book:The Heaven-sent Leaf: Poems

Source: The Heaven-sent Leaf: Poems

“What separates the professionally successful ... from all the rest is their ability to stay steady, to have stamina. It is one thing to write a good sentence, another to write a good book.”

Writing Book Ability Successful One Thing Sentences Steady Good Book Stamina

Author:Katy Lederer

“It should be everyone's right in a capitalist system to have some way to take advantage of compound interest.”

Way Should Interest Advantage Capitalist Compounds Compound Interest

Author:Katy Lederer

“To think of the myriad ways that we live is to think of the ways that we die: Delinquent in our brains, in debt-- If we settle, then, our due account and walk through the forest, Will we finally be free?”

Ifs Thinking Way Dies Walks Brain Accounts Debt Dues Forests Settling Delinquents

Author:Katy Lederer

“Poetry is God's work.”

Poetry Is

Author:Katy Lederer

“When I moved to New York, the reputation just followed me, and I am regularly invited to play in home games, by writers in particular, though finance folk also invite me on occasion.”

Play Home Games New York Particular Moved Folks Reputation Finance Occasions Invites Invited

Author:Katy Lederer

“I remember when I was writing my memoir and I was worried about what other people would think when they read it, and my mother, who can be this incredibly wise person, said that it really didn't matter because strangers who read it would never meet me anyway, and people I knew were aware of my secrets.”

People Thinking Writing Persons Said Matter Remember Mother Secret Wise Stranger Memoir Worried Remember When Wise Person

Author:Katy Lederer

“It is one thing to write a good sentence, another to write a good book.”

Writing Book One Thing Sentences Good Book

Author:Katy Lederer

“I'm more interested in the writing than in the content per se (good writing can be about wallpaper and I'll devour it).”

Writing Good Writing

Author:Katy Lederer

About the Author

Known for: Poet
Quotes: 17

Books & Sources

The Heaven-sent Leaf: PoemsRelated source material

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