--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: American poetry is always about defining…" description: "\"American poetry is always about defining oneself individually,claiming one's right to be different and often to break taboos.\" — Diane Wakoski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/diane-wakoski-15416_american-poetry_american-poetry-is-always-about-defining_316927.png" --- # American poetry is always about defining oneself… ![“American poetry is always about defining oneself individually,claiming one's right to be different and often to break taboos.” quote by Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/diane-wakoski-15416_american-poetry_american-poetry-is-always-about-defining_316927.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/diane-wakoski-15416_american-poetry_american-poetry-is-always-about-defining_316927.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/diane-wakoski-15416_american-poetry_american-poetry-is-always-about-defining_316927.png) > “American poetry is always about defining oneself individually,claiming one's right to be different and often to break taboos.” [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poetry serves as a personal declaration of identity, embracing difference and challenging norms. **In simple terms:** Poetry defines self and breaks taboos. Key Takeaway Use poetry to explore personal truth. Themes identity creativity rebellion Mood introspective defiant Type artistic inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - personal journals - public readings - activist art Key Concepts self-expression cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - What truths do you fear expressing? - How can poetry reshape societal norms? A Different Perspective May alienate audiences resistant to change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-poetry/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Break Taboos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-taboos-833793/) [Defining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defining/) [Defining Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defining-oneself-2995469/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself/) [Oneself Individually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself-individually-2995471/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poetry Defining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-defining-2995470/) [Poetry is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-is/) [Taboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taboo/) ## Related quotes > [I think it's important to break taboos for the same reason it's important to break laws and rules - because either you're a slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-think-it-s-important-to-break-taboos-for-the-same-reason-it-s/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [There's nothing harder than defining oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yitzhak-rabin/there-s-nothing-harder-than-defining-oneself/) [Yitzhak Rabin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yitzhak-rabin/) > [Defining oneself is a revolutionary act, and, as described in her memoir, Janet Mock fiercely fought to free herself with exquisite bravery and sensitivity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-angela-davis/defining-oneself-is-a-revolutionary-act-and-as-described-in-her/) [Michaela Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-angela-davis/) > [Masaba has helped me break some taboos, like wearing off-white with white or sneakers with a fancy gown. She's given me the confidence to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neena-gupta/masaba-has-helped-me-break-some-taboos-like-wearing-off-white-with/) [Neena Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neena-gupta/) > [“There are Tantrics who deliberately break taboos and social norms and then there are other Tantrics who, by means of their practices and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeena-schreck/there-are-tantrics-who-deliberately-break-taboos-and-social-norms-and/) [Zeena Schreck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeena-schreck/) > [I love the fact we do break taboos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-schofield/i-love-the-fact-we-do-break-taboos/) [Phillip Schofield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-schofield/) > [I definitely wish to distinguish American poetry from British or other English language poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/i-definitely-wish-to-distinguish-american-poetry-from-british-or/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [High and low culture come together in all Post Modern art, and American poetry is not excluded from this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/high-and-low-culture-come-together-in-all-post-modern-art-and/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [American poetry, like American painting, is always personal with an emphasis on the individuality of the poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/american-poetry-like-american-painting-is-always-personal-with-an/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [Distinctly American poetry is usually written in the context of one's geographic landscape, sometimes out of one's cultural myths, and often with reference to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/distinctly-american-poetry-is-usually-written-in-the-context-of-one-s/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [From reading a previous answer, you know that I consider all those aspects to be part of American cultural myth and thus they figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/from-reading-a-previous-answer-you-know-that-i-consider-all-those/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [“Mr Rutger cornet de Groot. Never read any American poetry or any other foreign poetry, which is why he always mentions 2 poets as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/mr-rutger-cornet-de-groot-never-read-any-american-poetry-or-any-other/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [I think the best American poetry is the poetry that utilizes the resources of poetry rather than exploits the defects or triumphs of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strand/i-think-the-best-american-poetry-is-the-poetry-that-utilizes-the/) [Mark Strand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strand/) > [ Probably the high-watermark of \[Bob\] Dylan's career came after he plugged in his guitar ("Judas!" one fan shouted during a concert) and exploded American… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/probably-the-high-watermark-of-bob-dylan-s-career-came-after-he/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [I'm educating myself more about world poetry. I know a lot about contemporary American poetry, so I felt I needed to learn more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-joseph/i-m-educating-myself-more-about-world-poetry-i-know-a-lot-about/) [Allison Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-joseph/) ## More by Diane Wakoski > [Poetry is the art of saying what you mean but disguising it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/poetry-is-the-art-of-saying-what-you-mean-but-disguising-it/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [Learning to live what you're born with is the process, the involvement, the making of a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/learning-to-live-what-you-re-born-with-is-the-process-the-involvement/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [“Uneasy Rider" Falling in love with a mustache is like saying you can fall in love with the way a man polishes his shoes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/uneasy-rider-falling-in-love-with-a-mustache-is-like-saying-you-can/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [From reading a previous answer, you know that I consider all those aspects to be part of American cultural myth and thus they figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/from-reading-a-previous-answer-you-know-that-i-consider-all-those/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [Distinctly American poetry is usually written in the context of one's geographic landscape, sometimes out of one's cultural myths, and often with reference to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/distinctly-american-poetry-is-usually-written-in-the-context-of-one-s/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [American poetry, like American painting, is always personal with an emphasis on the individuality of the poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/american-poetry-like-american-painting-is-always-personal-with-an/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [I think that's what poetry does. It allows people to come together and identify with a common thing that is outside of themselves, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/i-think-that-s-what-poetry-does-it-allows-people-to-come-together-and/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [I definitely wish to distinguish American poetry from British or other English language poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/i-definitely-wish-to-distinguish-american-poetry-from-british-or/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [So, I've never been politically correct, even before that term was available to us, and I have really identified with other people who don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/so-i-ve-never-been-politically-correct-even-before-that-term-was/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [What line breaks add to prose prosody is a connection between eye and ear which emphasizes the nature of the language by ... creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/what-line-breaks-add-to-prose-prosody-is-a-connection-between-eye-and/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [I am not political as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/i-am-not-political-as-a-person/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [There are rituals not structures for being a poet, drinking too much, taking too many drugs, being a lady chaser, having your nervous breakdown,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/there-are-rituals-not-structures-for-being-a-poet-drinking-too-much/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [I write in the first person because I have always wanted to make my life more interesting than it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/i-write-in-the-first-person-because-i-have-always-wanted-to-make-my/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [Because, in fact, women, feminists, do read my poetry, and they read it often with the power of their political interpretation. I don't care;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/because-in-fact-women-feminists-do-read-my-poetry-and-they-read-it/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [Still, language is resilient, and poetry when it is pressured simply goes underground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/still-language-is-resilient-and-poetry-when-it-is-pressured-simply/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) [Explore all 43 Diane Wakoski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) ## More American poetry quotes > [I'm educating myself more about world poetry. I know a lot about contemporary American poetry, so I felt I needed to learn more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-joseph/i-m-educating-myself-more-about-world-poetry-i-know-a-lot-about/) [Allison Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-joseph/) > [ Probably the high-watermark of \[Bob\] Dylan's career came after he plugged in his guitar ("Judas!" one fan shouted during a concert) and exploded American… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/probably-the-high-watermark-of-bob-dylan-s-career-came-after-he/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [I think the best American poetry is the poetry that utilizes the resources of poetry rather than exploits the defects or triumphs of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strand/i-think-the-best-american-poetry-is-the-poetry-that-utilizes-the/) [Mark Strand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strand/) > [“Mr Rutger cornet de Groot. Never read any American poetry or any other foreign poetry, which is why he always mentions 2 poets as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/mr-rutger-cornet-de-groot-never-read-any-american-poetry-or-any-other/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [Kerouac: You're ruining American poetry, O'Hara. O'Hara: That's more than you ever did for it, Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-o-hara/kerouac-you-re-ruining-american-poetry-o-hara-o-hara-that-s-more-than/) [Frank O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-o-hara/) > [From reading a previous answer, you know that I consider all those aspects to be part of American cultural myth and thus they figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/from-reading-a-previous-answer-you-know-that-i-consider-all-those/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [Mandelstam is the sort of poet who comes along very, very rarely. Even the two Russian poets whose work is often linked with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-wiman/mandelstam-is-the-sort-of-poet-who-comes-along-very-very-rarely-even/) [Christian Wiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-wiman/) > [Distinctly American poetry is usually written in the context of one's geographic landscape, sometimes out of one's cultural myths, and often with reference to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/distinctly-american-poetry-is-usually-written-in-the-context-of-one-s/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [American poetry, like American painting, is always personal with an emphasis on the individuality of the poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/american-poetry-like-american-painting-is-always-personal-with-an/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [“LIFE IS NEVER OVER.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-king/life-is-never-over/) [Amy King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-king/) > [“Tell this to ladies: how a hero man Assail a thick and scandalous giant Who casts true shadow in the sun, And die, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-crowe-ransom/tell-this-to-ladies-how-a-hero-man-assail-a-thick-and-scandalous/) [John Crowe Ransom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-crowe-ransom/) > [The Astonishment Tapes will now take its place within the growing field of international research about postwar American poetry's important contribution to world literature.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gizzi/the-astonishment-tapes-will-now-take-its-place-within-the-growing/) [Peter Gizzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gizzi/) > [I don't think the creative writing industry has helped American poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-morgan/i-don-t-think-the-creative-writing-industry-has-helped-american-poetry/) [Robert Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-morgan/) > [I definitely wish to distinguish American poetry from British or other English language poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/i-definitely-wish-to-distinguish-american-poetry-from-british-or/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [“SOME PEOPLE SIMPLY DO NOT EXIST ANYMORE. GET USED TO IT. QUESTION MARK.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-king/some-people-simply-do-not-exist-anymore-get-used-to-it-question-mark/) [Amy King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-king/) [Browse all 62 American poetry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-poetry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "American poetry is always about defining oneself individually,claiming one's right to be different and often to break taboos.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Diane Wakoski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/american-poetry-is-always-about-defining-oneself-individually/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American poetry" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/american-poetry-is-always-about-defining-oneself-individually/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/diane-wakoski-15416_american-poetry_american-poetry-is-always-about-defining_316927.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/diane-wakoski-15416_american-poetry_american-poetry-is-always-about-defining_316927.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/diane-wakoski-15416_american-poetry_american-poetry-is-always-about-defining_316927.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“American poetry is always about defining oneself individually,claiming one's right to be different and often…” — Diane Wakoski", "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": "Diane Wakoski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "American poetry is always about defining...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/american-poetry-is-always-about-defining-oneself-individually/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/american-poetry-is-always-about-defining-oneself-individually/#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 } } ] } ```