--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just think that limits the kinds of…" description: "\"I just think that limits the kinds of experiences that people can have with poetry. But, poetry will survive; I don't worry about that. But, I do think..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/edward-hirsch-1614_attention_i-just-think-that-limits-the-kinds-of-ex_1229491.png" --- # I just think that limits the kinds of experiences that… ![“I just think that limits the kinds of experiences that people can have with poetry. But, poetry will survive; I don't worry about that. But, I do think that it may save fewer souls if people can't pay attention.” quote by Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/edward-hirsch-1614_attention_i-just-think-that-limits-the-kinds-of-ex_1229491.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/edward-hirsch-1614_attention_i-just-think-that-limits-the-kinds-of-ex_1229491.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/edward-hirsch-1614_attention_i-just-think-that-limits-the-kinds-of-ex_1229491.png) > “I just think that limits the kinds of experiences that people can have with poetry. But, poetry will survive; I don't worry about that. But, I do think that it may save fewer souls if people can't pay attention.” [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poetry may lose impact if people lack attention, yet it will endure despite limited reach. **In simple terms:** Poetry survives, but attention is needed. Key Takeaway Cultivate focus for poetry. Themes art attention survival Mood hopeful concerned Type inspirational analytical When to use this quote - classroom reading - public readings - personal study Key Concepts literature cognitive load Questions to Reflect On - How can we improve listening to poetry? - What formats help maintain engagement? A Different Perspective Attention spans are shrinking, threatening depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Fewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fewer/) [Fewer Souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fewer-souls-2288271/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [Limits Kinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits-kinds-3796356/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Pay attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-attention/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-poetry-549879/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poetry Survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-survive-3796355/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Think Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-limits-526550/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) ## Related quotes > [I think poetry will survive and I don't think it will be the end of poetry. Our tremendous onslaught of mass media all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-think-poetry-will-survive-and-i-don-t-think-it-will-be-the-end-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love. By returning, you may ensure that fewer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albus-dumbledore/do-not-pity-the-dead-harry-pity-the-living-and-above-all-those-who/) [Albus Dumbledore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albus-dumbledore/) > [“If we had more sleepless nights in prayer, there would be fewer souls to have a sleepless eternal night in hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/if-we-had-more-sleepless-nights-in-prayer-there-would-be-fewer-souls/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [Whoever doesn't live in poetry cannot survive here on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/whoever-doesn-t-live-in-poetry-cannot-survive-here-on-earth/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [For a lot of people, poetry tends to be dull. It's not read much. 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I say, 'My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-darwish/some-people-ask-how-do-you-attract-the-young-and-so-many-different/) [Mahmoud Darwish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-darwish/) > [I think the biggest thing that I have to do is to remind people that poetry is there for us to turn to not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethewey/i-think-the-biggest-thing-that-i-have-to-do-is-to-remind-people-that/) [Natasha Trethewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-trethewey/) > [We think there are limits to the dimensions of fear. Until we encounter the unknown. Then we can all feel boundless amounts of terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-eg/we-think-there-are-limits-to-the-dimensions-of-fear-until-we/) [Peter Høeg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-eg/) > [“I would guess that there are limits to what we can understand. 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I think everyone should just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-hernandez/i-don-t-think-that-being-hispanic-being-black-being-white-i-don-t/) [Laurie Hernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-hernandez/) ## More by Edward Hirsch > [And my experience is the best titles, for me, emerge in the process of writing. They don't usually come at the very beginning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/and-my-experience-is-the-best-titles-for-me-emerge-in-the-process-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“I did not know the work of mourning Is like carrying a bag of cement Up a mountain at night The mountaintop is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-did-not-know-the-work-of-mourning-is-like-carrying-a-bag-of-cement/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“Fall" Fall, falling, fallen. 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I thought of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-had-feelings-that-i-didn-t-know-what-to-do-with-and-i-felt-better/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I think in terms of educating a group of readers, MFA programs are very good. I just think the model of MFA programs in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-think-in-terms-of-educating-a-group-of-readers-mfa-programs-are/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“Jonson wrote a poem and called his son His best piece of poetrie A lovely line a little loathsome I loved that poem once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/jonson-wrote-a-poem-and-called-his-son-his-best-piece-of-poetrie-a/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [After my grandfather died I went down to the basement of my family house where my family kept books, anthologies and things and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/after-my-grandfather-died-i-went-down-to-the-basement-of-my-family/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [It does demand a certain space in order to read it and I think that space is somewhat threatened by the lack of attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/it-does-demand-a-certain-space-in-order-to-read-it-and-i-think-that/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [...I put down these memorandums of my affections in honor of tenderness, in honor of all of those who have been conscripted into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-put-down-these-memorandums-of-my-affections-in-honor-of-tenderness/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Poetry is a vocation. 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