Skip to content

When people decide to talk publicly about poetry as an art…

“When people decide to talk publicly about poetry as an art form and how it's received, they often get very abject about it: "Nobody reads poetry," and then a thousand people write back, "No, we read poetry." There's an abundance of this negative preaching to the choir, and it's very similar to the…” quote by Eileen Myles
Download Open image
“When people decide to talk publicly about poetry as an art form and how it's received, they often get very abject about it: "Nobody reads poetry," and then a thousand people write back, "No, we read poetry." There's an abundance of this negative preaching to the choir, and it's very similar to the experience I'm having.”

Eileen Myles

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Poetry is dismissed as unread, yet many people actually engage with it, revealing a disconnect between critics and readers.

In simple terms: People do read poetry despite claims otherwise.

Key Takeaway

Listen to diverse voices.

Themes

literature art community

Mood

thoughtful hopeful

Type

analytical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • literary workshops
  • publishing decisions
  • educational curricula
  • social media discussions

Key Concepts

cultural criticism reader engagement artistic value

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why do we dismiss poetry’s relevance?
  • How can we bridge the gap between critics and readers?
A Different Perspective

Critics may still influence public perception negatively.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Eileen Myles

Explore all 29 Eileen Myles quotes

More Abundance quotes

Browse all 1,251 Abundance quotes