"No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem"
- Booker T. Washington
About this Quote
In this quote, Booker T. Washington highlights the importance of recognizing the value and self-respect in all kinds of work. He argues that no race can truly flourish until it comprehends that there is equal worth in both manual labor, such as tilling a field, and intellectual pursuits, such as writing a poem. Washington challenges the societal hierarchy that places a greater value on certain kinds of work over others, and emphasizes the requirement for a more inclusive and equitable view of labor. By acknowledging the dignity in all forms of work, Washington promotes a more well balanced and respectful society.
"With the question of the effect of a poem, the topic of investigation shifts from that of textual autonomy to textual reception - to the issue of what we actually look for or find in reading a poem"
"The heart of the matter seems to me to be the direct interaction between one's making a poem in English and a poem in the language that one understands and values. I don't see how you can do it otherwise"
"A revolutionary poem will not tell you who or when to kill, what and when to burn, or even how to theorize. It reminds you... where and when and how you are living and might live, it is a wick of desire"
