"I was influenced by surrealist poetry and painting as were thousands of other people, and it seems to me to have become a part of the way I write, but it's not"

In this quote, Kenneth Koch assesses the effect of surrealism on his work and, by extension, addresses the more comprehensive impact of artistic motions on imagination. Koch, a prominent poet associated with the New York School, browses the complex relationship between impacts and specific creative identity.

At the start, Koch acknowledges the pervasive influence of surrealist poetry and painting, not just on himself but also on many others. Surrealism, with its dream-like imagery and unforeseen juxtapositions, looked for to let loose the innovative potential of the unconscious mind. This motion reinvented art and literature by difficult traditional understandings of truth. For Koch, surrealism's attraction is indisputable; it represents a whole structure for perceiving and portraying the world in unconventional ways. He admits that it has actually become "part of the method I write", recommending that the surrealist approach has subtly permeated his innovative procedure, informing his design and choices as a poet.

Yet, Koch presents a paradox by concluding, "but it's not". This contradiction welcomes readers to dig much deeper into the nature of influence and originality in creative development. While Koch confesses to the impression surrealism has actually left on him, he concurrently asserts his independence from it. This declaration can be analyzed as a statement of artistic autonomy, a reminder that while influences are inevitable, they do not specify the totality of one's imaginative output. Koch may be stressing the importance of personal voice and originality, recommending that despite external impacts, his work emerges from a special and individual source.

Koch's double recommendation and rejection of surrealism's impact expose the complexities fundamental in the creative procedure. Artists soak up numerous influences throughout their lives, yet their work eventually goes beyond these motivations, ending up being something particular and unique. Through this quote, Koch invites readers to think about how artists navigate and synthesize myriad impacts while aiming to assert their own uniqueness.