"Poetry should be able to reach everybody, and it should be able to appeal to all levels of understanding"
- Peter Davison
About this Quote
In this quote, Peter Davison stresses the importance of poetry being accessible to all individuals, regardless of their background or level of education. He thinks that poetry ought to not be restricted to a specific group of individuals, however rather it ought to have the ability to reach and resonate with everyone. Davison also stresses the idea that poetry need to have the ability to interest all levels of understanding, meaning that it needs to be able to get in touch with both those who are well-versed in literature and those who may not have a deep understanding of it. In general, Davison highlights the inclusivity and universality of poetry, highlighting its power to link and touch the hearts of all individuals.
"I think Ginsberg has done more harm to the craft that I honor and live by than anybody else by reducing it to a kind of mean that enables the most dubious practitioners to claim they are poets because they think, If the kind of thing Ginsberg does is poetry, I can do that"
"Nothing truly convincing - which would possess thoroughness, vigor, and skill - has been written against the ancients as yet; especially not against their poetry"
"The dance can reveal everything mysterious that is hidden in music, and it has the additional merit of being human and palpable. Dancing is poetry with arms and legs"
"A book is sent out into the world, and there is no way of fully anticipating the responses it will elicit. Consider the responses called forth by the Bible, Homer, Shakespeare - let alone contemporary poetry or a modern novel"
