"A life is not sufficiently elevated for poetry, unless, of course, the life has been made into an art"

Mark Strand's quote highlights the concept that a regular, ordinary life may not be thought about worthwhile enough to be the subject of poetry. However, if a person can change their life into an art, they elevate it to a level where it becomes inspirational and worthwhile of poetic expression. Just living a life is not enough to catch the creativity of a poet or influence the emotions of the reader. It is just when an individual goes beyond the normal and transforms their life into an artistic expression that it ends up being truly exceptional and deserving of poetic interpretation. Therefore, the quote recommends that art can heighten our appreciation of life and offer indicating to our existence.