"A definition of poetry can only determine what poetry should be and not what poetry actually was and is; otherwise the most concise formula would be: Poetry is that which at some time and some place was thus named"
- Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel
About this Quote
This quote by Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel recommends that a meaning of poetry can just provide a general idea of what poetry ought to be, but it can not accurately describe what poetry in fact is. This is because poetry is a subjective art type that is constantly changing and developing. It is formed by the culture and context of the time and location in which it is created. Therefore, the most precise definition of poetry is that it is whatever has actually been named as such at any provided time and location. This quote highlights the significance of comprehending the context of poetry in order to appreciate its real significance. It likewise stresses the truth that poetry is an ever-changing art form that is constantly adjusting to the changing times. Ultimately, this quote serves as a reminder that poetry is a complex and ever-evolving art type that can not be specified by a single formula.
"We don't attempt to have any theme for a number of the anthology, or to have any particular sequence. We just put in things that we like, and then we try to alternate the prose and the poetry"
"Concrete poets continue to turn out beautiful things, but to me they're more visual than oral, and they almost really belong on the wall rather than in a book. I haven't the least idea of where poetry is going"
"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"
