--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As for political poetry, as it's usually…" description: "\"As for political poetry, as it's usually defined, it seems there's very little good political poetry.\" — Kenneth Koch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/kenneth-koch-13952_defined_as-for-political-poetry-as-it-s-usually_1468051.png" --- # As for political poetry, as it's usually defined, it seems… ![“As for political poetry, as it's usually defined, it seems there's very little good political poetry.” quote by Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/kenneth-koch-13952_defined_as-for-political-poetry-as-it-s-usually_1468051.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/kenneth-koch-13952_defined_as-for-political-poetry-as-it-s-usually_1468051.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/kenneth-koch-13952_defined_as-for-political-poetry-as-it-s-usually_1468051.png) > “As for political poetry, as it's usually defined, it seems there's very little good political poetry.” [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) ## 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 is often seen as lacking quality, suggesting few works meet high artistic standards. **In simple terms:** Few good political poems exist. Key Takeaway Seek depth and artistry in political expression. Themes politics poetry quality Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - literary journals - public readings - educational curricula Key Concepts aesthetic criticism cultural discourse literary standards Questions to Reflect On - How can poets balance message and artistry? - What topics inspire both political relevance and poetic beauty? A Different Perspective Political constraints can limit creative freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-political/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [I link what I do more to poetry usually because it sounds less lofty than a lot of other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-owens/i-link-what-i-do-more-to-poetry-usually-because-it-sounds-less-lofty/) [Rick Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-owens/) > [Durable, memorable poetry is usually alert to complexity. 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I definitely want to show you guys sides of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-wilds/well-i-write-a-lot-of-poetry-that-s-where-it-usually-all-starts-i/) [Tristan Wilds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-wilds/) > [Each genre has its own process. I'm very intuitive about poetry. I usually write first and second drafts out by hand. The other end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/achy-obejas/each-genre-has-its-own-process-i-m-very-intuitive-about-poetry-i/) [Achy Obejas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/achy-obejas/) > [While I've had a great distaste for what's usually called song in modern poetry or for what's usually called music, I really don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/while-i-ve-had-a-great-distaste-for-what-s-usually-called-song-in/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [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/) > [Civic poetry is public poetry. It is political poetry. 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If this question was pointing towards that, I think it is missing the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-wakoski/i-don-t-like-political-poetry-and-i-don-t-write-it-if-this-question/) [Diane Wakoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-wakoski/) > [There's been real hostility toward political poetry in the U.S., hostility or, at best, incomprehension. 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/) ## More by Kenneth Koch > [The subject matter of the stories on the surface... there seem to be a number of stories about travel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/the-subject-matter-of-the-stories-on-the-surface-there-seem-to-be-a/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [When you finish a poem, it clicks shut like the top of a jewel box, but prose is endless. I haven't experienced an awful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/when-you-finish-a-poem-it-clicks-shut-like-the-top-of-a-jewel-box-but/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [It's a well known thing that ordinary perceptions can have a strange aspect when one is travelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/it-s-a-well-known-thing-that-ordinary-perceptions-can-have-a-strange/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [“Summer in the trees! “It is time to strangle several bad poets.” / The yellow hobbyhorse rocks to and fro, and from the chimney…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/summer-in-the-trees-it-is-time-to-strangle-several-bad-poets-the/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [If you want to know how much I love and care for you, count the waves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/if-you-want-to-know-how-much-i-love-and-care-for-you-count-the-waves/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [“Lies belong in poems”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/lies-belong-in-poems/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [I was excited by what my painter friends were doing, and they seemed to be interested in our poetry too, and that was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/i-was-excited-by-what-my-painter-friends-were-doing-and-they-seemed/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [Picasso said once when being interviewed that one should not be one's own connoisseur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/picasso-said-once-when-being-interviewed-that-one-should-not-be-one-s/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [It takes a long time to publish a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/it-takes-a-long-time-to-publish-a-book/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [I love painting and music, of course. I don't know nearly as much about them as I know about poetry. I've certainly been influenced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/i-love-painting-and-music-of-course-i-don-t-know-nearly-as-much-about/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [“I wasn’t ready For you. I understood nothing Seemingly except my feelings You were whirling In your life I was keeping Everything in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/i-wasn-t-ready-for-you-i-understood-nothing-seemingly-except-my/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [I don't think the nature of my poetry is satirical or even ironic, I think it's essentially lyrical but again I don't know if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/i-don-t-think-the-nature-of-my-poetry-is-satirical-or-even-ironic-i/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [“I probably misunderstand misunderstanding itself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/i-probably-misunderstand-misunderstanding-itself/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [“I love you as a sheriff searches for a walnut / That will solve a murder case unsolved for years / Because the murderer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/i-love-you-as-a-sheriff-searches-for-a-walnut-that-will-solve-a/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [As I look over my work, I mean every time I look over my early work, I see, yes, I could do that then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/as-i-look-over-my-work-i-mean-every-time-i-look-over-my-early-work-i/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) [Explore all 48 Kenneth Koch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) ## More Defined quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Jazz is not something that can be defined through blunt instruments. 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