--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poetry is necessary, but is the poet?" description: "\"Poetry is necessary, but is the poet?\" — Carlos Drummond de Andrade" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/carlos-drummond-de-andrade-252_necessary_poetry-is-necessary-but-is-the-poet-2294_2294561.jpg" --- # Poetry is necessary, but is the poet? ![“Poetry is necessary, but is the poet?” quote by Carlos Drummond de Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/carlos-drummond-de-andrade-252_necessary_poetry-is-necessary-but-is-the-poet-2294_2294561.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/carlos-drummond-de-andrade-252_necessary_poetry-is-necessary-but-is-the-poet-2294_2294561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/carlos-drummond-de-andrade-252_necessary_poetry-is-necessary-but-is-the-poet-2294_2294561.jpg) > “Poetry is necessary, but is the poet?” [Carlos Drummond de Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/) ## 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 essential, but the poet's role is questioned. **In simple terms:** Poetry matters; poet's purpose unclear. Key Takeaway Question the poet's relevance. Themes art existence purpose Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - writing workshops - literary criticism - creative education Key Concepts literary theory identity Questions to Reflect On - What defines a poet's necessity? - Can poetry exist without a poet? A Different Perspective Poetry may be valuable without a poet. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary/) [Necessary Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-poet-5404973/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poetry Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-necessary-353006/) ## Related quotes > [... in a history of spiritual rupture, a social compact built on fantasy and collective secrets, poetry becomes more necessary than ever: it keeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/in-a-history-of-spiritual-rupture-a-social-compact-built-on-fantasy/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [ Poetry \[is\] more necessary than ever as a fire to light our tongues. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/poetry-is-more-necessary-than-ever-as-a-fire-to-light-our-tongues/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [ I do not think \[poetry\] is more, or less, necessary than food, shelter, health, education, decent working conditions. It is as necessary. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/i-do-not-think-poetry-is-more-or-less-necessary-than-food-shelter/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [From the catbird seat, I've found poetry to be the necessary utterance it has always been in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethewey/from-the-catbird-seat-i-ve-found-poetry-to-be-the-necessary-utterance/) [Natasha Trethewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-trethewey/) > [Life makes writing poetry necessary to prove I really was paying attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strand/life-makes-writing-poetry-necessary-to-prove-i-really-was-paying/) [Mark Strand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strand/) > [To elevate the soul, poetry is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/to-elevate-the-soul-poetry-is-necessary/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Poetry is as necessary to comprehension as science. It is as impossible to live without reverence as it is without joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-beston/poetry-is-as-necessary-to-comprehension-as-science-it-is-as/) [Henry Beston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-beston/) > [In a lethal world, poetry is necessary for survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-caroline-richards/in-a-lethal-world-poetry-is-necessary-for-survival/) [Mary Caroline Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-caroline-richards/) > [“What I have lately said of painting is equally true with respect to poetry. It is only necessary for us to know what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/what-i-have-lately-said-of-painting-is-equally-true-with-respect-to/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The poet reminds men of their uniqueness and it is not necessary to possess the ultimate definition of this uniqueness. Even to speculate is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/the-poet-reminds-men-of-their-uniqueness-and-it-is-not-necessary-to/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [I think that at a certain age, say fifteen or sixteen, poetry is like masturbation. 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Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [I fell in love with social work, and that was my undoing as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rakosi/i-fell-in-love-with-social-work-and-that-was-my-undoing-as-a-poet/) [Carl Rakosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rakosi/) ## More by Carlos Drummond de Andrade > [Easy is to occupy a place in a telephone book. Difficult is to occupy someone's heart; know that you're really loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/easy-is-to-occupy-a-place-in-a-telephone-book-difficult-is-to-occupy/) [Carlos Drummond de Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/) > [Be happy for no reason is the most authentic form of happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/be-happy-for-no-reason-is-the-most-authentic-form-of-happiness/) [Carlos Drummond de Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/) > [“José What now, José? The party’s over, the lights are off, the crowd’s gone, the night’s gone cold, what now, José? what now, you?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/jos-what-now-jos-the-party-s-over-the-lights-are-off-the-crowd-s-gone/) [Carlos Drummond de Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/) > [If the afternoon had been blue, there might have been less desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/if-the-afternoon-had-been-blue-there-might-have-been-less-desire/) [Carlos Drummond de Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/) > [“Ande como se o chão estivesse repleto de sons de flauta...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/ande-como-se-o-ch-o-estivesse-repleto-de-sons-de-flauta/) [Carlos Drummond de Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/) > [“O dente morde a fruta envenenada a fruta morde o dente envenenado o veneno morde a fruta e morde o dente o dente, se…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/o-dente-morde-a-fruta-envenenada-a-fruta-morde-o-dente-envenenado-o/) [Carlos Drummond de Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/) > [“Amar a nossa falta mesma de amor, E na secura nossa, amar a água implícita, E o beijo tácito, e a sede infinita. (To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/amar-a-nossa-falta-mesma-de-amor-e-na-secura-nossa-amar-a-gua-impl/) [Carlos Drummond de Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/) > [“Pois o amor resgata a pobreza, vence o tédio, ilumina o dia e instaura em nossa natureza a imperecível alegria.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/pois-o-amor-resgata-a-pobreza-vence-o-t-dio-ilumina-o-dia-e-instaura/) [Carlos Drummond de Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/) > [Universe, vast universe, my heart is vaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/universe-vast-universe-my-heart-is-vaster/) [Carlos Drummond de Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/) > [“A guerra terminou ontem mas ainda há batalhas dentro no peito que estão reclamando herois”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/a-guerra-terminou-ontem-mas-ainda-h-batalhas-dentro-no-peito-que-est/) [Carlos Drummond de Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/) [Explore all 11 Carlos Drummond de Andrade quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/) ## More Necessary quotes > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [It is absolutely necessary... for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-absolutely-necessary-for-me-to-have-persons-that-can-think-for/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [I've always made it clear that I do not believe that global government is either necessary or feasible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-always-made-it-clear-that-i-do-not-believe-that-global/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [The length of the journey has to be borne with, for every moment is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-length-of-the-journey-has-to-be-borne-with-for-every-moment-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes, it is necessary to step beyond what you have known and to reach for something more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/sometimes-it-is-necessary-to-step-beyond-what-you-have-known-and-to/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [It was both necessary and desirable for us to be so strong at sea that no Sea Power could attack us without risk, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-von-bulow/it-was-both-necessary-and-desirable-for-us-to-be-so-strong-at-sea/) [Bernhard von Bulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-von-bulow/) > [There is no bigger waste of time than doing 90% of what is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/there-is-no-bigger-waste-of-time-than-doing-90-of-what-is-necessary/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“One should not make more assumptions than are absolutely necessary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kerner/one-should-not-make-more-assumptions-than-are-absolutely-necessary/) [Ian Kerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-kerner/) > [I am not concerned about getting reelected. I can make the unpopular but necessary decision. Your focus from day one is on your legacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benigno-aquino-iii/i-am-not-concerned-about-getting-reelected-i-can-make-the-unpopular/) [Benigno Aquino III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benigno-aquino-iii/) > [I'm not going to marry a third time. It is just not necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-robinson/i-m-not-going-to-marry-a-third-time-it-is-just-not-necessary/) [Anne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-robinson/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Art is not necessary at all. All that is necessary to make this world a better place to live in is to love -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/art-is-not-necessary-at-all-all-that-is-necessary-to-make-this-world/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [While sleep is clearly vital to emotional well-being, what is it, exactly, about sleep that is so necessary? As it turns out, mood disorders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-weil/while-sleep-is-clearly-vital-to-emotional-well-being-what-is-it/) [Andrew Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-weil/) > [If there is a risk in a bank, our first question should be 'Okay, what are you in the bank going to do about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeroen-dijsselbloem/if-there-is-a-risk-in-a-bank-our-first-question-should-be-okay-what/) [Jeroen Dijsselbloem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeroen-dijsselbloem/) [Browse all 1,020 Necessary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Poetry is necessary, but is the poet?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carlos Drummond de Andrade" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/poetry-is-necessary-but-is-the-poet/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Necessary" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/poetry-is-necessary-but-is-the-poet/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/carlos-drummond-de-andrade-252_necessary_poetry-is-necessary-but-is-the-poet-2294_2294561.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/carlos-drummond-de-andrade-252_necessary_poetry-is-necessary-but-is-the-poet-2294_2294561.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/carlos-drummond-de-andrade-252_necessary_poetry-is-necessary-but-is-the-poet-2294_2294561.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Poetry is necessary, but is the poet?” — Carlos Drummond de Andrade", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Carlos Drummond de Andrade", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Poetry is necessary, but is the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/poetry-is-necessary-but-is-the-poet/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-drummond-de-andrade/poetry-is-necessary-but-is-the-poet/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```