--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not that a poem can \"hurt\" someone the…" description: "\"Not that a poem can \"hurt\" someone the same way a physical blow can or even a mean remark can...I just felt unsure that my tone would be taken the righ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/denise-duhamel-18337_blow_not-that-a-poem-can-hurt-someone-the-sam_1658253.jpg" --- # Not that a poem can "hurt" someone the same way a physical… ![“Not that a poem can "hurt" someone the same way a physical blow can or even a mean remark can...I just felt unsure that my tone would be taken the right way and/or unsure of my own writing, that I couldn't maintain the tone I wanted.” quote by Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/denise-duhamel-18337_blow_not-that-a-poem-can-hurt-someone-the-sam_1658253.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/denise-duhamel-18337_blow_not-that-a-poem-can-hurt-someone-the-sam_1658253.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/denise-duhamel-18337_blow_not-that-a-poem-can-hurt-someone-the-sam_1658253.jpg) > “Not that a poem can "hurt" someone the same way a physical blow can or even a mean remark can...I just felt unsure that my tone would be taken the right way and/or unsure of my own writing, that I couldn't maintain the tone I wanted.” [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author worries that a poem might unintentionally hurt or be misinterpreted, fearing loss of tone and confidence in writing. **In simple terms:** Fear of hurting others with words and self‑doubt about tone. Key Takeaway Write with clarity and check tone. Themes vulnerability communication creative confidence Mood anxious reflective Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - peer feedback - personal journaling - public readings - online publishing Key Concepts self‑expression interpretation tone management Questions to Reflect On - How can you test a poem’s tone before sharing? - What strategies help maintain intended voice? A Different Perspective The impact of words can be mitigated by context and audience awareness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Right way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-way/) [Tone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tone/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Living in a world where constantly one turned and touched incomprehension—they did not comprehend, he did not comprehend—gave the air the lift of uncertainty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/living-in-a-world-where-constantly-one-turned-and-touched/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [“What is she looking for?  She thought she had found it with Kyle.  But maybe she hadn’t. Perhaps she was looking for stability, security,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-chalker/what-is-she-looking-for-she-thought-she-had-found-it-with-kyle-but/) Dawn Chalker > [I've always felt unsure of exactly what I wanted to do with my life, but I have these rare moments of total clarity where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-cooper/i-ve-always-felt-unsure-of-exactly-what-i-wanted-to-do-with-my-life/) [Sarah Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-cooper/) > […she was discovering once again that reading and writing were not the same — you couldn't just soak it up then squeeze it out again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/she-was-discovering-once-again-that-reading-and-writing-were-not-the/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [You know, there is something I'm looking for when I'm writing. 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But when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-holdsworth/i-went-through-a-bad-period-where-i-was-just-not-writing-i-couldn-t/) [Allan Holdsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-holdsworth/) > [It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by that time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/it-took-me-fifteen-years-to-discover-i-had-no-talent-for-writing-but/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [I made the contract with God years ago, that no matter what came through, I would say it, but if I ever hurt someone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/i-made-the-contract-with-god-years-ago-that-no-matter-what-came/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [To hurt someone you know will forgive you is the unkindiest thing of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/to-hurt-someone-you-know-will-forgive-you-is-the-unkindiest-thing-of/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [I'm not unaware of how I'm perceived, I just don't care about it. Unless I really hurt someone's feelings. I care about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-m-not-unaware-of-how-i-m-perceived-i-just-don-t-care-about-it/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Sometimes you don't have to mean to hurt someone to hurt someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-don-t-have-to-mean-to-hurt-someone-to-hurt-someone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hurt someone's feelings once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-hurt-someone-s-feelings-once/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [And yet it disturbs me to learn I have hurt someone unintentionally. I want all my hurts to be intentional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/and-yet-it-disturbs-me-to-learn-i-have-hurt-someone-unintentionally-i/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## More by Denise Duhamel > [I have no idea, actually, where I fit in, in terms of poetry camps. At AWP conferences, I have been on panels about humor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/i-have-no-idea-actually-where-i-fit-in-in-terms-of-poetry-camps-at/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [I am interested in the confines of the page and busting through/off the page as well. A writer must let go of the line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/i-am-interested-in-the-confines-of-the-page-and-busting-through-off/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [As a teenager, I loved acting, painting, photography, and making films with my friend's Super 8 camera. But I always loved writing the best.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/as-a-teenager-i-loved-acting-painting-photography-and-making-films/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [Though it does seem like I have written an immense amount of work, over the years I have pushed the pause button. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/though-it-does-seem-like-i-have-written-an-immense-amount-of-work/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [“I just didn’t get it— even with the teacher holding an orange (the earth) in one hand and a lemon (the moon) in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/i-just-didn-t-get-it-even-with-the-teacher-holding-an-orange-the/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [I know writers for whom the act of writing is a necessary chore. They suffer to write great work. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/in-almost-every-book-i-ve-written-there-is-a-reference-to-a-movie/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [The "biggest" poems I ever made are based on the psychological principal of the "Johari Window:" what the self freely shares with others; what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/the-biggest-poems-i-ever-made-are-based-on-the-psychological/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [I started wanting desperately to say something, to make a point, to be heard - and I still feel that way. Free verse served…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/i-started-wanting-desperately-to-say-something-to-make-a-point-to-be/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [After my marriage ended, I had an urge to skip that part of my life completely in terms of poetry, not publish anything at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/after-my-marriage-ended-i-had-an-urge-to-skip-that-part-of-my-life/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [If you are my friend and say to me, "Please don't write about this," I won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/if-you-are-my-friend-and-say-to-me-please-don-t-write-about-this-i/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) [Explore all 35 Denise Duhamel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) ## More Blow quotes > [The wind always seems to blow against catchers when they are running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/the-wind-always-seems-to-blow-against-catchers-when-they-are-running/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) > [Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! 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Guys would drink and fight one another like circle saws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-armstrong/the-brick-house-was-one-of-the-toughest-joints-i-ever-played-in-guys/) [Louis Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-armstrong/) Browse all 2,324 Blow quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not that a poem can \"hurt\" someone the same way a physical blow can or even a mean remark can...I just felt unsure that my tone would be taken the right way and/or unsure of my own writing, that I couldn't maintain the tone I wanted.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Denise Duhamel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/not-that-a-poem-can-hurt-someone-the-same-way-a-physical-blow-can-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blow" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/not-that-a-poem-can-hurt-someone-the-same-way-a-physical-blow-can-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/denise-duhamel-18337_blow_not-that-a-poem-can-hurt-someone-the-sam_1658253.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/denise-duhamel-18337_blow_not-that-a-poem-can-hurt-someone-the-sam_1658253.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/denise-duhamel-18337_blow_not-that-a-poem-can-hurt-someone-the-sam_1658253.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Not that a poem can \"hurt\" someone the same way a physical blow can or even a mean remark can...I just felt…” — Denise Duhamel", "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": "Denise Duhamel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Not that a poem can \"hurt\"...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/not-that-a-poem-can-hurt-someone-the-same-way-a-physical-blow-can-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/not-that-a-poem-can-hurt-someone-the-same-way-a-physical-blow-can-or/#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 } } ] } ```