--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a teenager, just about the…" description: "\"When I was a teenager, just about the only thing I could do right was play music. In my graduating class, I was certainly not voted 'Most Literary Boy...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/robert-pinsky-11434_about_when-i-was-a-teenager-just-about-the-onl_229107.png" --- # When I was a teenager, just about the only thing I could… ![“When I was a teenager, just about the only thing I could do right was play music. In my graduating class, I was certainly not voted 'Most Literary Boy.' I can assure you I was not voted 'Mostly Likely to Succeed.' I was voted 'Most Musical Boy.' And the music led to the poetry.” quote by Robert Pinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/robert-pinsky-11434_about_when-i-was-a-teenager-just-about-the-onl_229107.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/robert-pinsky-11434_about_when-i-was-a-teenager-just-about-the-onl_229107.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/robert-pinsky-11434_about_when-i-was-a-teenager-just-about-the-onl_229107.png) > “When I was a teenager, just about the only thing I could do right was play music. In my graduating class, I was certainly not voted 'Most Literary Boy.' I can assure you I was not voted 'Mostly Likely to Succeed.' I was voted 'Most Musical Boy.' And the music led to the poetry.” [Robert Pinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pinsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects that early talent in music shaped his creative path, leading to poetry despite lacking academic accolades. **In simple terms:** Music sparked his poetry career. Key Takeaway Embrace early passions to guide future work. Themes creativity identity growth Mood reflective optimistic Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - high school - college - career decisions - artistic pursuits Key Concepts artistic development self‑discovery Questions to Reflect On - How can early strengths be nurtured into new skills? - What role does self‑belief play in creative growth? A Different Perspective Early talent may not guarantee later success without effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Graduating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduating/) [Graduating class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduating-class/) [Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Teenager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenager/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [I've had albums out since the 1970s. 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I wouldn't have changed it for the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmella/there-were-a-hundred-people-in-my-graduating-class-i-wouldn-t-have/) [Carmella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmella/) > [You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/you-can-steer-yourself-in-any-direction-you-choose/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [I think at the end of the day the diversity has served as a major... that's what has determined the difference between The Roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-thought/i-think-at-the-end-of-the-day-the-diversity-has-served-as-a-major/) [Black Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-thought/) > [You have to be really tenacious. You have to keep at it. There are many roads to get there. If you can get yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/you-have-to-be-really-tenacious-you-have-to-keep-at-it-there-are-many/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) ## More by Robert Pinsky > [I have always been thinking about the sounds and shades and aromas of words - fitting them together or disrupting their customary march -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pinsky/i-have-always-been-thinking-about-the-sounds-and-shades-and-aromas-of/) [Robert Pinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pinsky/) > [I am a frustrated saxophone player. 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That has always appealed to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pinsky/in-jazz-as-in-poetry-there-is-always-that-play-between-what-s-regular/) [Robert Pinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pinsky/) > [The last thing a young artist should do in poetry or any other field is think about whats in style, whats current, what are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pinsky/the-last-thing-a-young-artist-should-do-in-poetry-or-any-other-field/) [Robert Pinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pinsky/) > [The wonderful 17th Century poet, Robert Herrick, wrote a poem entitled, 'To Live Merrily and to Trust to Good Verses.' Easy to say, Robert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pinsky/the-wonderful-17th-century-poet-robert-herrick-wrote-a-poem-entitled/) [Robert Pinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pinsky/) > ['Write' is almost the wrong verb for what I do. 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