--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never think of my audience when I write…" description: "\"I never think of my audience when I write a poem. I try to write out of whatever is haunting me; in order for a poem to feel authentic, I have to feel ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/rita-dove-4855_audience_i-never-think-of-my-audience-when-i-writ_2747004.jpg" --- # I never think of my audience when I write a poem. I try to… ![“I never think of my audience when I write a poem. I try to write out of whatever is haunting me; in order for a poem to feel authentic, I have to feel I'm treading on very dangerous ground, which can mean that the resulting revelations may prove hurtful to other people. The time for thinking about…” quote by Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/rita-dove-4855_audience_i-never-think-of-my-audience-when-i-writ_2747004.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/rita-dove-4855_audience_i-never-think-of-my-audience-when-i-writ_2747004.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/rita-dove-4855_audience_i-never-think-of-my-audience-when-i-writ_2747004.jpg) > “I never think of my audience when I write a poem. I try to write out of whatever is haunting me; in order for a poem to feel authentic, I have to feel I'm treading on very dangerous ground, which can mean that the resulting revelations may prove hurtful to other people. The time for thinking about that kind of guilt or any collective sense of responsibility, however, occurs much later in the creative process, after the poem is finished.” [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poet prioritizes personal authenticity over audience expectations, confronting risky inner material first, then later considering the impact on others. **In simple terms:** Write honestly first, worry about impact later. Key Takeaway Embrace raw truth before editing for audience. Themes authenticity creative risk responsibility Mood introspective serious reflective Type artistic philosophical process‑oriented When to use this quote - writing poetry - artistic development - public reception - post‑creation review Key Concepts self‑expression ethical reflection Questions to Reflect On - How does confronting danger shape your work? - When should you consider audience impact? A Different Perspective Neglecting audience early may alienate readers or cause unintended harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Audience Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience-write-1774086/) [Collectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectives/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-process/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Feel Authentic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-authentic-1191120/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Haunting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/haunting/) [Hurtful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurtful/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poem Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poem-feel-1875533/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Process Poem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process-poem-3070251/) [Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Revelations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revelations/) [Sense of responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-responsibility/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Treading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treading/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Write Poem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-poem/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [It's a little mad, but I believe I am many people. When I am writing a poem, I feel I am the person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/it-s-a-little-mad-but-i-believe-i-am-many-people-when-i-am-writing-a/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [“Not everyone can feel things as deeply as you. Most people, their feelings are ... bland, tasteless. They'll never understand what it's like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliann-garey/not-everyone-can-feel-things-as-deeply-as-you-most-people-their/) [Juliann Garey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliann-garey/) > [That's how I always try to start my thoughts. I write them down first, eventually it turns into a poem, and if I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/that-s-how-i-always-try-to-start-my-thoughts-i-write-them-down-first/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I think that you certainly don't have to be aged and travel the world to write a poem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/i-think-that-you-certainly-don-t-have-to-be-aged-and-travel-the-world/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [With the audience I write for, I want to make sure that the reader is eagerly turning every page. I want each of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-freedman/with-the-audience-i-write-for-i-want-to-make-sure-that-the-reader-is/) [Russell Freedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-freedman/) > [You do not write a novel for praise, or thinking of your audience. You write for yourself; you work out between you and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/you-do-not-write-a-novel-for-praise-or-thinking-of-your-audience-you/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [I don't write because there's an audience. I write because there is literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/i-don-t-write-because-there-s-an-audience-i-write-because-there-is/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [We understand our audience. We write to the things that concern our audience. At one point, it was civil rights. You know, during the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-johnson-rice/we-understand-our-audience-we-write-to-the-things-that-concern-our/) [Linda Johnson Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-johnson-rice/) > [I wanted the audience to write stories and then read them out if they wanted to. It's always the best part of the show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-pascoe/i-wanted-the-audience-to-write-stories-and-then-read-them-out-if-they/) [Sara Pascoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-pascoe/) > [Never try to fit a target audience. Write what is true to the characters in their settings and the audience will find you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-borstein/never-try-to-fit-a-target-audience-write-what-is-true-to-the/) [Alex Borstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-borstein/) > [I don't perceive an audience at all when I write a book. It's pure self-indulgence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-perceive-an-audience-at-all-when-i-write-a-book-it-s-pure/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [The audience today has heard every joke. They know every plot. They know where you're going before you even start. That's a tough audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-white/the-audience-today-has-heard-every-joke-they-know-every-plot-they/) [Betty White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-white/) > [I think about my audience when I write, to some extent. Thinking of writing for young adults, I try to keep the stories moving,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sleator/i-think-about-my-audience-when-i-write-to-some-extent-thinking-of/) [William Sleator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sleator/) > [Without an audience, all your dreams will not come true at all, because you need an audience to write new songs and continue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/without-an-audience-all-your-dreams-will-not-come-true-at-all-because/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [I don't write for an audience. I write for myself. And if I imagine an audience at all, it's the characters, but I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-hegi/i-don-t-write-for-an-audience-i-write-for-myself-and-if-i-imagine-an/) [Ursula Hegi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-hegi/) ## More by Rita Dove > [I think children have talent and insight, but it gets beaten out of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/i-think-children-have-talent-and-insight-but-it-gets-beaten-out-of/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [Courage has nothing to do with our determination to be great. It has to do with what we decide in that moment when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/courage-has-nothing-to-do-with-our-determination-to-be-great-it-has/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [Libraries are where it all begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/libraries-are-where-it-all-begins/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [My inspiration comes from everywhere, just walking down the street and I never know where it's going to come from, so I keep a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/my-inspiration-comes-from-everywhere-just-walking-down-the-street-and/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [To write for PC reasons, because you think you ought to be dealing with this subject, is never going to yield anything that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/to-write-for-pc-reasons-because-you-think-you-ought-to-be-dealing/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [All of us have moments in our childhood where we come alive for the first time. And we go back to those moments and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/all-of-us-have-moments-in-our-childhood-where-we-come-alive-for-the/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [The First Book: Go ahead, it won't bite. Well... maybe a little. More a nip, like. A tingle. It's pleasurable, really. You see, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/the-first-book-go-ahead-it-won-t-bite-well-maybe-a-little-more-a-nip/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [Sometimes a word is found so right it trembles at the slightest explanation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/sometimes-a-word-is-found-so-right-it-trembles-at-the-slightest/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [Listen how they say your name. If they can't say that right, there's no way they're going to know how to treat you proper,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/listen-how-they-say-your-name-if-they-can-t-say-that-right-there-s-no/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [People write me from all over the country, asking me, and sometimes even telling me, what they think a poet laureate should do. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/people-write-me-from-all-over-the-country-asking-me-and-sometimes/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [Creative writing and literacy go hand and hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/creative-writing-and-literacy-go-hand-and-hand/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [There are distinct duties of a poet laureate. I plan a reading series at the Library of Congress and advise the librarian. The rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/there-are-distinct-duties-of-a-poet-laureate-i-plan-a-reading-series/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [My first advice would be to read, read, read, which sounds interesting coming in a digital age, but it's so much easier to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/my-first-advice-would-be-to-read-read-read-which-sounds-interesting/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [To me, a poem is almost like someone whispering to another person, or you hear the whispering in your head. I hope with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/to-me-a-poem-is-almost-like-someone-whispering-to-another-person-or/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [I was not interested in doing the plot of OEDIPUS in blackface. I did wonder, what would these people have been like if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/i-was-not-interested-in-doing-the-plot-of-oedipus-in-blackface-i-did/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) [Explore all 106 Rita Dove quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. 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My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never think of my audience when I write a poem. I try to write out of whatever is haunting me; in order for a poem to feel authentic, I have to feel I'm treading on very dangerous ground, which can mean that the resulting revelations may prove hurtful to other people. 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