--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My feeling is that most political poetry…" description: "\"My feeling is that most political poetry is preaching to the choir, and that the people who are going to make the political changes in our lives are no..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/john-ashbery-3600_action_my-feeling-is-that-most-political-poetry_1626561.jpg" --- # My feeling is that most political poetry is preaching to… ![“My feeling is that most political poetry is preaching to the choir, and that the people who are going to make the political changes in our lives are not the people who read poetry, unfortunately. Poetry not specifically aimed at political revolution, though, is beneficial in moving people toward…” quote by John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/john-ashbery-3600_action_my-feeling-is-that-most-political-poetry_1626561.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/john-ashbery-3600_action_my-feeling-is-that-most-political-poetry_1626561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/john-ashbery-3600_action_my-feeling-is-that-most-political-poetry_1626561.jpg) > “My feeling is that most political poetry is preaching to the choir, and that the people who are going to make the political changes in our lives are not the people who read poetry, unfortunately. Poetry not specifically aimed at political revolution, though, is beneficial in moving people toward that kind of action, as well as other kinds of action. A good poem makes me want to be active on as many fronts as possible.” [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political poetry often preaches to those already aligned, limiting its impact on change‑makers, yet broader poetry can inspire diverse activism. **In simple terms:** Poetry may not reach those who can enact change. Key Takeaway Use poetry to inspire broader action. Themes politics art activism Mood thoughtful hopeful Type inspirational analytical When to use this quote - campaign planning - community organizing - education - personal motivation Key Concepts poetry influence social change Questions to Reflect On - Who really reads political poetry? - How can poetry motivate concrete change? A Different Perspective Poetry alone may not shift policy without concrete action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Choir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choir/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-change/) [Political revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-revolution/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Preaching to the choir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preaching-to-the-choir/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) ## Related quotes > [The only form of revolution beneficial to the people is one which destroys the entire state to the roots and exterminates all the state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergey-nechayev/the-only-form-of-revolution-beneficial-to-the-people-is-one-which/) Sergey Nechayev > [There's not a big range in the political poetry of the last year, or not a political range. 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I'm speaking of those who have institutional power over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/there-s-been-real-hostility-toward-political-poetry-in-the-u-s/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [Because so many poets have chosen a political idiom right now in the US and so many poets have assigned value and inherent knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-biespiel/because-so-many-poets-have-chosen-a-political-idiom-right-now-in-the/) [David Biespiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-biespiel/) > [“It's no use preaching to the choir. The rulebook, evidence, and good, old-fashioned fact-checking – let alone human decency – have been thrown out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-forester/it-s-no-use-preaching-to-the-choir-the-rulebook-evidence-and-good-old/) [H.M. Forester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-forester/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. 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