Computers Quote by Charles D'Ambrosio
“The poet Amanda Nadelberg puts it nicely in an interview when she says "often what I listen for in poems is a sense that the writer is a little lost, not deliberately withholding information or turning on the heavy mystery machines, but honestly confounded - by the world? isn't it so? - and letting others listen in on that figuring." That's what engages me - the mind in motion, the drama of someone in the process of thinking - and it's the elusive mystery of those movements that I hope to capture in my essays.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Amanda Nadelberg, literary interview, date unknown
The quote describes how poems that reveal a writer’s genuine confusion and ongoing thought process engage readers by showing the messy, unfinished nature of thinking.
In simple terms: Poems that show a writer’s real confusion draw readers in.
Embrace uncertainty and let it fuel your writing.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- literary analysis
- personal essays
- creative nonfiction
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does uncertainty affect your engagement with a text?
- Can you capture the process of thinking without losing the reader?
Not all readers appreciate unresolved ambiguity; some prefer clear conclusions.