14 quotes by Mark Strand

“The future is always beginning now.” — Mark Strand

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“It's very hard to write humor.” — Mark Strand

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“Usually a life turned into a poem is misrepresented.” — Mark Strand

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“Pain is filtered in a poem so that it becomes finally, in the end, pleasure.” — Mark Strand

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“Poetry is, first and last, language - the rest is filler.” — Mark Strand

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“Poetry is something that happens in universities, in creative writing programs or in English departments.” — Mark Strand

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“I would say that American poetry has always been a poetry of personal testimony.” — Mark Strand

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“I think the best American poetry is the poetry that utilizes the resources of poetry rather than exploits the defects or triumphs of the poet's personality.” — Mark Strand

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“I certainly can't speak for all cultures or all societies, but it's clear that in America, poetry serves a very marginal purpose. It's not part of the cultural mainstream.” — Mark Strand

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“I believe that all poetry is formal in that it exists within limits, limits that are either inherited by tradition or limits that language itself imposes.” — Mark Strand

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“And yet, in a culture like ours, which is given to material comforts, and addicted to forms of entertainment that offer immediate gratification, it is surprising that so much poetry is written.” — Mark Strand

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“And at least in poetry you should feel free to lie. That is, not to lie, but to imagine what you want, to follow the direction of the poem.” — Mark Strand

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“A life is not sufficiently elevated for poetry, unless, of course, the life has been made into an art.” — Mark Strand

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“A great many people seem to think writing poetry is worthwhile, even though it pays next to nothing and is not as widely read as it should be.” — Mark Strand

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