--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is funny, and also a bit sad, that…" description: "\"It is funny, and also a bit sad, that poets are so often asked to justify our vocation. There seems to be something vaguely mystifying and even hilario..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ef/matthew-zapruder-12762_justify_it-is-funny-and-also-a-bit-sad-that-poet_46710.jpg" --- # It is funny, and also a bit sad, that poets are so often… ![“It is funny, and also a bit sad, that poets are so often asked to justify our vocation. There seems to be something vaguely mystifying and even hilarious to people about being a poet, especially in these times. Why would anyone choose to do something so...useless?” quote by Matthew Zapruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ef/matthew-zapruder-12762_justify_it-is-funny-and-also-a-bit-sad-that-poet_46710.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ef/matthew-zapruder-12762_justify_it-is-funny-and-also-a-bit-sad-that-poet_46710.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ef/matthew-zapruder-12762_justify_it-is-funny-and-also-a-bit-sad-that-poet_46710.jpg) > “It is funny, and also a bit sad, that poets are so often asked to justify our vocation. There seems to be something vaguely mystifying and even hilarious to people about being a poet, especially in these times. Why would anyone choose to do something so...useless?” [Matthew Zapruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-zapruder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on society's paradoxical view of poetry as both mysterious and unnecessary, highlighting the tension between artistic purpose and perceived practicality. **In simple terms:** Poetry is seen as both enigmatic and seemingly impractical. Key Takeaway Artistic pursuits face skepticism in utilitarian cultures. Themes artistic identity societal expectations meaning of work cultural perception value of creativity Mood reflective wry thoughtful Type observation social commentary When to use this quote - academic discussions on arts funding - career counseling for artists - public debates on cultural value - media coverage of literary events Key Concepts poetry vocational legitimacy public perception cultural irony Practical Applications - advocating for arts education - creating public outreach programs for poetry Questions to Reflect On - How can poets demonstrate relevance without compromising integrity? - What metrics could capture poetry's impact on society? A Different Perspective Some argue that poetry, while not directly productive, enriches language, empathy, and critical thinking, offering intangible societal benefits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation/) ## Related quotes > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [That is one thing I am sure of amid my many uncertainties regarding the literary vocation: deep inside, a writer feels that writing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/that-is-one-thing-i-am-sure-of-amid-my-many-uncertainties-regarding/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [The vocation of pastor(s) has been replaced by the strategies of religious entrepreneurs with business plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/the-vocation-of-pastor-s-has-been-replaced-by-the-strategies-of/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [To learn a vocation, you also have to learn the frauds it practices and the promises it breaks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/to-learn-a-vocation-you-also-have-to-learn-the-frauds-it-practices/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Once you get into this great stream of history you can't get out. You can drown. Or you can be pulled ashore by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/once-you-get-into-this-great-stream-of-history-you-can-t-get-out-you/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [It is well for a man to respect his own vocation whatever it is and to think himself bound to uphold it and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-is-well-for-a-man-to-respect-his-own-vocation-whatever-it-is-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [ I'm a jazz musician by education and vocation, but I don't think jazz should \[ dictate\] what I want to do. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-douglas/i-m-a-jazz-musician-by-education-and-vocation-but-i-don-t-think-jazz/) [Dave Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-douglas/) > [I'm beat to the square, and square to the beat, and that's my vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-everson/i-m-beat-to-the-square-and-square-to-the-beat-and-that-s-my-vocation/) [William Everson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-everson/) > [“If you want to be an actor, don’t. If you need to be an actor, do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-jacobi/if-you-want-to-be-an-actor-don-t-if-you-need-to-be-an-actor-do/) [Derek Jacobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-jacobi/) > [“On the other side of graduation was her actual life, the slow narrowing of possibilities that would catch her and freeze her in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ling-ma/on-the-other-side-of-graduation-was-her-actual-life-the-slow/) [Ling Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ling-ma/) > [I feel in me the vocation of the Priest. I have the vocation of the Apostle. Martyrdom was the dream of my youth, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/i-feel-in-me-the-vocation-of-the-priest-i-have-the-vocation-of-the/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) > [“The gift of singleness is more a vocation than an empowerment, although to be sure God is faithful in supporting those He calls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/the-gift-of-singleness-is-more-a-vocation-than-an-empowerment/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [We have only to see how that which makes up the reality of our lives relates to our vocation; we have only to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-danielou/we-have-only-to-see-how-that-which-makes-up-the-reality-of-our-lives/) Jean Danielou > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Whatever vocation you decide on, track down the best people in the world at doing it and surround yourself with them. Aim high and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-weiss/whatever-vocation-you-decide-on-track-down-the-best-people-in-the/) [Scott Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-weiss/) ## More by Matthew Zapruder > [The question does arise if how and why to write poetry in this time. It feels both completely essential and also quite difficult. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-zapruder/the-question-does-arise-if-how-and-why-to-write-poetry-in-this-time/) [Matthew Zapruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-zapruder/) > [That name, SUN BEAR, just sounds like an ideogram to me. Super resonant. By the way, this all might be related to Tomaž Šalamun's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-zapruder/that-name-sun-bear-just-sounds-like-an-ideogram-to-me-super-resonant/) [Matthew Zapruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-zapruder/) > [Music and songs have always been a constant part of my life, and still are. My brother Michael, who is a songwriter and composer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-zapruder/music-and-songs-have-always-been-a-constant-part-of-my-life-and-still/) [Matthew Zapruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-zapruder/) > [My own experience as a reader and writer has been that the more I read, and the more I live, the more different "types"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-zapruder/my-own-experience-as-a-reader-and-writer-has-been-that-the-more-i/) [Matthew Zapruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-zapruder/) > [Thinking in prose is different. 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Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) Donald P. Ryan > [I have to justify my job every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-silva/i-have-to-justify-my-job-every-day/) [Marco Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-silva/) > [Universities are the cathedrals of the modern age. They shouldn't have to justify their existence by utilitarian criteria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lodge/universities-are-the-cathedrals-of-the-modern-age-they-shouldn-t-have/) [David Lodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lodge/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. 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