"Being Poet Laureate made me realize I was capable of a larger voice. There is a more public utterance I can make as a poet"

Rita Dove's quote speaks with the power of poetry and the potential of a poet to reach a larger audience. As Poet Laureate, Dove was offered a platform to share her deal with a wider audience, and this experience made her recognize that she was capable of utilizing her voice to reach a larger audience. She acknowledges that there is a more public utterance she can make as a poet, and that her work can have a greater effect when it is shared with a larger audience. This quote speaks to the power of poetry and the capacity of a poet to reach a bigger audience. Dove's words advise us that poetry can be used to express our thoughts and feelings, which it can be used to reach a larger audience. By utilizing her voice to reach a larger audience, Dove is revealing us that poetry can be utilized to make a distinction worldwide.