“There are poets who believe that you shouldn't engage at all in any cause. And there's something to be said for that. Because you don't want to - I think most political poetry is very bad. And it's very bad because you know too much to start with. You have a sense that you're right, and you're trying to tell other people what's right. And I think that's always kind of fundamentalism, and I don't like it.” PeopleThinkingKnowsWantTryingBelieveKindSaidPoliticalCausesToo MuchPoetPoetry IsFundamentalism Author:W. S. Merwin
“The Divine Comedy is a political poem and when you say poetry is not about - he's always quoted out of context, that "poetry makes nothing happen," that doesn't mean you shrug your shoulders and don't try to make anything happen. And Dante felt that poetry was engaged, there was a point of view; it's not my point of view, it's orthodox medieval Christianity, and I have my troubles with that. He didn't feel that you could just rule out so important a section of life - we care about these things, and it's out of caring about them that we write poetry.” FeelsWritingTryingMeanImportantHappensCarePoliticalFeltViewsChristianityComedyTroubleDivineCaringPoint Of ViewThings HappenShouldersEngagedPoetry IsOrthodoxSectionsMedievalOf ContextDivine Comedy Author:W. S. Merwin
“I think there's a kind of desperate hope built into poetry that one really wants, hopelessly, to save the world. One is trying to say everything that can be said for the things that one loves while there's still time.” ThinkingWorldWantTryingKindSaidStillsBuiltDesperateOne LoveSave The World Author:W. S. Merwin
“I say to my breath once again, little breath come from in front of me, go away behind me, row me quietly now, as far as you can, for I am an abyss that I am trying to cross.” TryingLittlesBehindsFrontsCrossesBreathsGoing AwayAbyss Author:W. S. Merwin
