Active Quote by Diane Wakoski

There's a sameness about American poetry that I don't think represents the whole people. It represents a poetry of the moment, a poetry of…

— Yusef Komunyakaa

There's been real hostility toward political poetry in the U.S., hostility or, at best, incomprehension. I'm speaking of those who have institutional power over…

— Adrienne Rich

I'm of the opinion that poetry is always political, and cannot help but be so, regardless of the poet's intent, given that refusing to…

— Andre Naffis-Sahely

Political poetry is more profoundly emotional than any other-at least as much as love poetry-and cannot be forced because then it becomes vulgar and…

— Pablo Neruda

Most of us have been subjected to terrible political poetry at least once or twice in our lifetimes, and so we tend to shy…

— Andre Naffis-Sahely

As for political poetry, as it's usually defined, it seems there's very little good political poetry.

— Kenneth Koch

All poetry is political, to some degree.

— Mike Young

I've often said that all poetry is political. This is because real poems deal with a human response to reality and politics is part…

— Yehuda Amichai

I always thought that writing poetry was in itself a political act.

— John Ashbery

There are poets who believe that you shouldn't engage at all in any cause. And there's something to be said for that. Because you…

— W. S. Merwin

My feeling is that most political poetry is preaching to the choir, and that the people who are going to make the political changes…

— John Ashbery

There is a long-standing tradition in America of scoffing at poets, especially if they show any interest in politics.

— Eugene McCarthy