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Quote by Frank O'Hara

Work

Meditations in an Emergency

This book delves into the psychological and emotional responses of individuals facing a major emergency, offering a contemplative look at the human condition amidst crisis. more

Author

Frank O'Hara
Frank O'Hara

Frank O'Hara was an American poet, art critic, and editor known for his concise, direct style and depictions of New York City life. His work is often considered part of the New York School of poetry, which emphasizes the details of everyday life and the modern urban experience. more

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“The day passed. People had butchered my name, teachers hadn’t known what the hell to do with me, my math teacher looked at my face and gave a five-minute speech to the class about how people who don’t love this country should just go back to where they came from and I stared at my textbook so hard it was days before I could get the quadratic equation out of my head. Not one of my classmates spoke to me, no one but the kid who accidentally assaulted my shoulder with his bio book. I wished I didn’t care.”

“The walls that hold my prison pent soul closed with an eternal thud. A destructive bent blossomed in the desert of my ebbing passion. I am a lonely man with no skeleton key that will allow me to escape a static penitentiary and enter a world where joy reigns. My strangeness sentenced me forever to be alone. Stranded alone, I must bear the mental lashings associated with a penal life. My relegated daily vigil consists of dragging around ankle chains and enduring a penitence period hobbled to punitive labor. There is no relief in sight; no chance exists to receive a stay of execution from self-punishment arising from a criminal spree of failure. My crazed-eyed preoccupation is to stand on my tippy toes in a private cellblock and stare down at the starkness of my picked over bones.”