--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the term poet is a very exalted…" description: "\"I think the term poet is a very exalted term and should be applied to a man at the end of his work. When he looks back over the body of his work and he..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/leonard-cohen-448_body_i-think-the-term-poet-is-a-very-exalted_227908.jpg" --- # I think the term poet is a very exalted term and should be… ![“I think the term poet is a very exalted term and should be applied to a man at the end of his work. When he looks back over the body of his work and he's written poetry then let the verdict be that he's a poet.” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/leonard-cohen-448_body_i-think-the-term-poet-is-a-very-exalted_227908.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/leonard-cohen-448_body_i-think-the-term-poet-is-a-very-exalted_227908.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/leonard-cohen-448_body_i-think-the-term-poet-is-a-very-exalted_227908.jpg) > “I think the term poet is a very exalted term and should be applied to a man at the end of his work. When he looks back over the body of his work and he's written poetry then let the verdict be that he's a poet.” [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A poet’s title should be earned after a lifetime of work, not given early. **In simple terms:** Poet status comes after a full body of work. Key Takeaway Earn the title through lasting contribution. Themes art legacy recognition Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - literary criticism - career retrospectives - award ceremonies Key Concepts authorship validation career culmination Questions to Reflect On - How do we define a poet’s legacy? - When should we award artistic titles? A Different Perspective Titles can be subjective and culturally biased. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Exalted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exalted/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poet Exalted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet-exalted-2314414/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poetry Let](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-let-602654/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Term Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term-poet-2314413/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Verdict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verdict/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) [Written Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written-poetry-394110/) ## Related quotes > [If you like poetry let it be first rate, Milton, Shakespeare, Thomson, Goldsmith Pope (if you will though I don't admire him), Scott, Byron,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-you-like-poetry-let-it-be-first-rate-milton-shakespeare-thomson/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“When somebody discusses my work with me and peruses a poem or two, they get to see a piece of who I am. 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Without poetry, I would have found life less comprehensible, less bearable and infinitely less enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-hart/poetry-has-never-let-me-down-without-poetry-i-would-have-found-life/) [Josephine Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-hart/) > [“ A Conceit Give me your hand Make room for me to lead and follow you beyond this rage of poetry. Let others have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/a-conceit-give-me-your-hand-make-room-for-me-to-lead-and-follow-you/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I always thought that poetry is the verdict that others give to a certain kind of writing. So to call yourself a poet is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-always-thought-that-poetry-is-the-verdict-that-others-give-to-a/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Poetry is a verdict, not an occupation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/poetry-is-a-verdict-not-an-occupation/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [Poetry is a verdict rather than an intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/poetry-is-a-verdict-rather-than-an-intention/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [Marriage...a book of which the first chapter is written in poetry and the remaining chapters written in prose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-a-book-of-which-the-first-chapter-is-written-in-poetry-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I'm walking along the street, ideas come. Ideas about things that I'm interested in. I've jotted them down in the past on bits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/if-i-m-walking-along-the-street-ideas-come-ideas-about-things-that-i/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have always written poetry but I have never applied it to songwriting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-turner/i-have-always-written-poetry-but-i-have-never-applied-it-to/) [Janine Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-turner/) > [“Marriage is a book in which the first chapter is written in poetry and the remaining chapters in prose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverley-nichols/marriage-is-a-book-in-which-the-first-chapter-is-written-in-poetry/) [Beverley Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverley-nichols/) > [I've always written poetry but I didn't realise it was a therapy for me until I was maybe 15. 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But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [ I would say the hummingbird really deserves the royalties on \[some of my songs\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-would-say-the-hummingbird-really-deserves-the-royalties-on-some-of/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [One is given to self-dramatization from time to time. I intend to live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/one-is-given-to-self-dramatization-from-time-to-time-i-intend-to-live/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. It's useful because it addresses the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-basic-function-of-popular-music-is-to-create-an-environment-for/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Blessed are you, embrace of the falling, foundation of the light, master of the human accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/blessed-are-you-embrace-of-the-falling-foundation-of-the-light-master/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I continually blacken pages and scribble away, so I always have a number of songs that are half-finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-continually-blacken-pages-and-scribble-away-so-i-always-have-a/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. 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