---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you write poetry you are always…"
description: "\"When you write poetry you are always addressing the world somehow.\" — John Cooper Clarke"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/john-cooper-clarke-4797_addressing_when-you-write-poetry-you-are-always-add_941686.png"
---

#  When you write poetry you are always addressing the world…

![“When you write poetry you are always addressing the world somehow.” quote by John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/john-cooper-clarke-4797_addressing_when-you-write-poetry-you-are-always-add_941686.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/john-cooper-clarke-4797_addressing_when-you-write-poetry-you-are-always-add_941686.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/john-cooper-clarke-4797_addressing_when-you-write-poetry-you-are-always-add_941686.png)

> “When you write poetry you are always addressing the world somehow.”

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Poetry inherently addresses the world, making the poet a conduit for shared experience

**In simple terms:** Poetry talks to everyone

Key Takeaway

Write with awareness of audience

Themes

poetry expression connection

Mood

thoughtful inspired

Type

literary reflective

When to use this quote

- reading circles
- public readings
- creative workshops

Key Concepts

voice public discourse artistic intent

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you choose your audience?
- What responsibilities does a poet have?

A Different Perspective

Not all poems reach a broad audience

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Addressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addressing/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [When you stand on the stage you must have a sense that you are addressing the whole world, and that what you say is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/when-you-stand-on-the-stage-you-must-have-a-sense-that-you-are/)

[Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/)

> [The thing that defines a species is that all members have the same addressing system for their DNA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-thing-that-defines-a-species-is-that-all-members-have-the-same/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [As Americans, we have traditionally been the optimists sporting the 'can-do' attitude. But when it comes to addressing climate adaptation and resiliency, we seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tonko/as-americans-we-have-traditionally-been-the-optimists-sporting-the/)

[Paul Tonko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tonko/)

> [India considers Saudi Arabia a center of stability in the region. The security and stability of the Gulf region and that of the Indian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/india-considers-saudi-arabia-a-center-of-stability-in-the-region-the/)

[Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/)

> [Government is never so noble as when it is addressing wrongs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/government-is-never-so-noble-as-when-it-is-addressing-wrongs/)

[William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/)

> [If we are addressing the issue of weapons of mass destruction, we need to send a uniform, consistent message that there is zero tolerance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/if-we-are-addressing-the-issue-of-weapons-of-mass-destruction-we-need/)

[Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/)

> [My own view would be to let Saddam bluster, let him rant and rave all he wants. As long as he behaves himself within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/my-own-view-would-be-to-let-saddam-bluster-let-him-rant-and-rave-all/)

[Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/)

> [For the general public, my work is sometimes easier than a painting because there is someone addressing you; it can actually be a relief.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tino-sehgal/for-the-general-public-my-work-is-sometimes-easier-than-a-painting/)

[Tino Sehgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tino-sehgal/)

> [“It is a good idea to remind clients to address each other rather than addressing the interpreter. Some interpreters in this situation make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-phelan/it-is-a-good-idea-to-remind-clients-to-address-each-other-rather-than/)

Mary Phelan

> [Every day things get better because politicians are addressing the fiscal challenges more aggressively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-whitney/every-day-things-get-better-because-politicians-are-addressing-the/)

[Meredith Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-whitney/)

> [The basis on which the Good Friday agreement was constructed was in addressing those problems in the history of Northern Ireland, the social and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-reid/the-basis-on-which-the-good-friday-agreement-was-constructed-was-in/)

[John Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-reid/)

> [We depend a lot on the guy upstairs in dire times, in addressing our concerns and looking for help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sweeney/we-depend-a-lot-on-the-guy-upstairs-in-dire-times-in-addressing-our/)

[John Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sweeney/)

> [There has been, and there will continue to be, vigorous discussions about race in America. I worry that little will come of these discussions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/there-has-been-and-there-will-continue-to-be-vigorous-discussions/)

[Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/)

> [I think that we have a number of different health care challenges in our country, and certainly addressing the uninsured is one, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-stabenow/i-think-that-we-have-a-number-of-different-health-care-challenges-in/)

[Debbie Stabenow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-stabenow/)

> [The most important guideline when it comes to argument is the golden rule. If someone were addressing your point, what tone, what overall approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/the-most-important-guideline-when-it-comes-to-argument-is-the-golden/)

[Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/)

## More by John Cooper Clarke

> [When the punk rock thing happened, I thought, 'Right, I have one chance here to be seen as part of some wider social phenomenon.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/when-the-punk-rock-thing-happened-i-thought-right-i-have-one-chance/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [To make the hips the focal point of a pair of trousers is, to me, a fashion mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/to-make-the-hips-the-focal-point-of-a-pair-of-trousers-is-to-me-a/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [The greatest threat to any artist is surrounding themselves with people who love everything they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/the-greatest-threat-to-any-artist-is-surrounding-themselves-with/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [The first time I heard rock'n'roll on a big sound system would have been at a fairground at the seaside. That's a hell of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/the-first-time-i-heard-rock-n-roll-on-a-big-sound-system-would-have/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [My favourite writers are columnists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/my-favourite-writers-are-columnists/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [As they used to say on Stingray, ‘Anything can happen in the next half hour’. I’ve always tried to live with that thought in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/as-they-used-to-say-on-stingray-anything-can-happen-in-the-next-half/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [It was a tedious saying among hippies: if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. I was very much part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/it-was-a-tedious-saying-among-hippies-if-you-re-not-part-of-the/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [No one wants to be a source of anxiety to everybody they know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/no-one-wants-to-be-a-source-of-anxiety-to-everybody-they-know/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [From social pariah to King of the World? It's taken 45 years, so I've been able to adjust to it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/from-social-pariah-to-king-of-the-world-it-s-taken-45-years-so-i-ve/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [Well, I've obviously been a great source of inspiration to the academic population of Salford! They're citing me as a major contribution to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/well-i-ve-obviously-been-a-great-source-of-inspiration-to-the/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [They're very different things, a poem and a song, you wouldn't think they would be, but they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/they-re-very-different-things-a-poem-and-a-song-you-wouldn-t-think/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [I've got a speech impediment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/i-ve-got-a-speech-impediment/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [I enjoy gigging in industrial towns. It seems to be where I go down the best. Somewhere where they have a history of manufacturing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/i-enjoy-gigging-in-industrial-towns-it-seems-to-be-where-i-go-down/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [I don't work with anybody I don't like, just for the attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/i-don-t-work-with-anybody-i-don-t-like-just-for-the-attention/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

> [Poverty - the one thing money can't buy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/poverty-the-one-thing-money-can-t-buy/)

[John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

[Explore all 106 John Cooper Clarke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/)

## More Addressing quotes

> [The most important guideline when it comes to argument is the golden rule. If someone were addressing your point, what tone, what overall approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/the-most-important-guideline-when-it-comes-to-argument-is-the-golden/)

[Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/)

> [I think that we have a number of different health care challenges in our country, and certainly addressing the uninsured is one, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-stabenow/i-think-that-we-have-a-number-of-different-health-care-challenges-in/)

[Debbie Stabenow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-stabenow/)

> [There has been, and there will continue to be, vigorous discussions about race in America. I worry that little will come of these discussions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/there-has-been-and-there-will-continue-to-be-vigorous-discussions/)

[Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/)

> [We depend a lot on the guy upstairs in dire times, in addressing our concerns and looking for help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sweeney/we-depend-a-lot-on-the-guy-upstairs-in-dire-times-in-addressing-our/)

[John Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sweeney/)

> [The basis on which the Good Friday agreement was constructed was in addressing those problems in the history of Northern Ireland, the social and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-reid/the-basis-on-which-the-good-friday-agreement-was-constructed-was-in/)

[John Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-reid/)

> [Every day things get better because politicians are addressing the fiscal challenges more aggressively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-whitney/every-day-things-get-better-because-politicians-are-addressing-the/)

[Meredith Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-whitney/)

> [“It is a good idea to remind clients to address each other rather than addressing the interpreter. Some interpreters in this situation make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-phelan/it-is-a-good-idea-to-remind-clients-to-address-each-other-rather-than/)

Mary Phelan

> [For the general public, my work is sometimes easier than a painting because there is someone addressing you; it can actually be a relief.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tino-sehgal/for-the-general-public-my-work-is-sometimes-easier-than-a-painting/)

[Tino Sehgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tino-sehgal/)

> [My own view would be to let Saddam bluster, let him rant and rave all he wants. As long as he behaves himself within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/my-own-view-would-be-to-let-saddam-bluster-let-him-rant-and-rave-all/)

[Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/)

> [If we are addressing the issue of weapons of mass destruction, we need to send a uniform, consistent message that there is zero tolerance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/if-we-are-addressing-the-issue-of-weapons-of-mass-destruction-we-need/)

[Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/)

> [Government is never so noble as when it is addressing wrongs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/government-is-never-so-noble-as-when-it-is-addressing-wrongs/)

[William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/)

> [India considers Saudi Arabia a center of stability in the region. The security and stability of the Gulf region and that of the Indian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/india-considers-saudi-arabia-a-center-of-stability-in-the-region-the/)

[Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/)

> [As Americans, we have traditionally been the optimists sporting the 'can-do' attitude. But when it comes to addressing climate adaptation and resiliency, we seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tonko/as-americans-we-have-traditionally-been-the-optimists-sporting-the/)

[Paul Tonko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tonko/)

> [The thing that defines a species is that all members have the same addressing system for their DNA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-thing-that-defines-a-species-is-that-all-members-have-the-same/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [Leftists always want to... circle around subjects... rather than addressing any subject directly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-sim/leftists-always-want-to-circle-around-subjects-rather-than-addressing/)

[Dave Sim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-sim/)

[Browse all 34 Addressing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addressing/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When you write poetry you are always addressing the world somehow.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Cooper Clarke"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/when-you-write-poetry-you-are-always-addressing-the-world-somehow/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Addressing"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/when-you-write-poetry-you-are-always-addressing-the-world-somehow/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/john-cooper-clarke-4797_addressing_when-you-write-poetry-you-are-always-add_941686.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/john-cooper-clarke-4797_addressing_when-you-write-poetry-you-are-always-add_941686.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/john-cooper-clarke-4797_addressing_when-you-write-poetry-you-are-always-add_941686.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When you write poetry you are always addressing the world somehow.” — John Cooper Clarke",
                "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": "John Cooper Clarke",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When you write poetry you are...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/when-you-write-poetry-you-are-always-addressing-the-world-somehow/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/when-you-write-poetry-you-are-always-addressing-the-world-somehow/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
