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Quote by Kenneth Koch

“I'm a writer who likes to be influenced.”

Quote by Kenneth Koch

Author

Kenneth Koch, born on February 27, 1925, in New York, was a renowned American poet. His poetry style was unique, characterized by simplicity and wit, which was well-received by readers. Koch's poems covered a wide range of themes, including love, nature, and urban life, and his work was known for its humor and intelligence. more

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“I thought, 'There are a lot of poets who have the courage to look into the abyss, but there are very few who have the courage to look happiness in the face and write about it,' which is what I wanted to be able to do.”

Writing Looks Able Wanted Faces Poet Abyss

Author:Kenneth Koch

“When you finish a poem, it clicks shut like the top of a jewel box, but prose is endless. I haven't experienced an awful lot of clicking shut!”

Havens Boxes Endless Awful Prose Jewels Clicks

Author:Kenneth Koch

“Poetry, which is written while no one is looking, is meant to be looked at for all time.”

Written All Time Meant To Be

Book:The Collected Poems of Kenneth Koch

Source: The Collected Poems of Kenneth Koch

“I've had trouble with criticism, I guess. It's hard to know what role criticism plays in either encouraging poets or in getting other people to read them.”

People Knows Hard Play Roles Trouble Poet Criticism

Author:Kenneth Koch

“Summer in the trees! “It is time to strangle several bad poets.”

Tree Poet Summer

Book:On the Great Atlantic Rainway: Selected Poems 1950-1988

Source: On the Great Atlantic Rainway: Selected Poems 1950-1988

“I got married, other people went off. We had sort of another public-we were our entire readership for many years, and we were very excited by each other.”

People Years Married Excited Readership

Author:Kenneth Koch

“Politics is there the way men and women are there, the way the Atlantic Ocean is there. Sometimes I've written about politics specifically, I mean about politics as it's understood on television and in newspapers.”

Men Way Mean Sometimes Written Television Ocean Understood Men And Women Newspapers Atlantic Ocean

Author:Kenneth Koch

“It seems everything is so full of possibilities one can hardly take it all in.”

Seems Possibility

Author:Kenneth Koch

“I don't think the nature of my poetry is satirical or even ironic, I think it's essentially lyrical but again I don't know if it's my position to say what my poetry is like.”

Ifs Thinking Knows Position Poetry Is Ironic Lyrical Satirical

Author:Kenneth Koch

“What are the questions you wish to ask?”

Author:James Schuyler