"What has any poet to trust more than the feel of the thing? Theory concerns him only until he picks up his pen, and it begins to concern him again as soon as he lays it down."
-John Ciardi
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"Every parent is at some time the father of the unreturned prodigal, with nothing to do but keep his house open to hope."
-John Ciardi
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"It is easy enough to praise men for the courage of their convictions. I wish I could teach the sad young of this mealy generation the courage of their confusions."
-John Ciardi
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"You don't have to suffer to be a poet adolescence is enough suffering for anyone."
-John Ciardi
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"Love is the word used to label the sexual excitement of the young, the habituation of the middle-aged, and the mutual dependence of the old."
-John Ciardi
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"Intelligence recognizes what has happened. Genius recognizes what will happen."
-John Ciardi
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"I write poetry in order to live more fully."
-Judith Rodriguez
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"He fertilizes a phrase or a line of poetry for weeks and then gives birth to it in a speech."
-John Colville
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"Poetry uses the hub of a torque converter for a jello mold."
-Diane Glancy
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"Poetry asks people to have values, form opinions, care about some other part of experience besides making money and being successful on the job."
-Toi Derricotte
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"For there is a sound reasoning upon all flowers. For flowers are peculiarly the poetry of Christ."
-Christopher Smart
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"I don't know a better preparation for life than a love of poetry and a good digestion."
-Zona Gale
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