Bragging Quote by Dorianne Laux
“I try to avoid calling myself a poet because I think that's something someone else has to call you. It's like bragging.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Poetry Magazine, 2018
Avoiding the poet label reflects humility and the desire for others to validate artistic identity.
In simple terms: Don’t self‑label; let others name you.
Key Takeaway
Seek external affirmation for creative work.
Themes
humility
identity
artistic integrity
Mood
introspective
thoughtful
Type
literary
inspirational
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- publishing submissions
- literary readings
Key Concepts
self‑definition
validation
creative confidence
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you need a title to create?
- How does external validation affect your art?
A Different Perspective
Labeling oneself may limit growth or create pressure.
![“I don't know if I call myself a poet or not. I would like to, but I'm not really qualified to make that decision, because I come in on such a back door, that I don't know what a Robert Frost or a [John] Keats or a T.S. Eliot would really think of my stuff.” quote by Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ca0/bob-dylan-168_back-doors_i-don-t-know-if-i-call-myself-a-poet-or_400356.jpg)
![“It's difficult to talk about [W.S.] Merwin's poems, as it's hard to talk about a feeling or a smell. It is what it is, but so much so that it overwhelms both sense and the senses. I aspire to something about his work, that imbues his poems, though I'm not sure I could say what that is. A purity…” quote by Dorianne Laux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8c1/dorianne-laux-12252_aspire_it-s-difficult-to-talk-about-w-s-merwin_654128.jpg)
