“I had no one to help me, but the T. S. Eliot helped me. So when people say that poetry is a luxury…

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“I had no one to help me, but the T. S. Eliot helped me.

So when people say that poetry is a luxury, or an option, or for the educated middle classes, or that it shouldn’t be read at school because it is irrelevant, or any of the strange stupid things that are said about poetry and its place in our lives, I suspect that the people doing the saying have had things pretty easy. A tough life needs a tough language – and that is what poetry is. That is what literature offers – a language powerful enough to say how it is.

It isn’t a hiding place. It is a finding place.”

― Jeanette Winterson, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?

3 thoughts on ““I had no one to help me, but the T. S. Eliot helped me. So when people say that poetry is a luxury…”

  1. Reblogged this on KT Phillips Writes and commented:
    Came across this quote this morning…. And it really spoke to me. So many people think poetry is far out, or just plain over their heads. Oftentimes, poetry is a far more simple thing than that. It is usually a small collection of the poet’s thoughts and feelings put as simple as possible. Not all poetry is so deep it is not understandable to the non-acquainted reader. Whether it be free verse, rhymes, sonnets, or terza rimas, they all have their place in the poetic world. So take a chance… Re-read your favorite poem today, or find a new one! Then tell someone else about the poem you love! Pass poetry along!! It’s literally the gift that keeps on giving.

    For some new poetry, check out my book Written Beneath The Oaks. Available on Amazon.com and Kindle digital downloads.

    Happy reading! Enjoy your week.
    KT

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