Poetry is the art of using words charged with their utmost meaning. A society whose intellectual leaders lose the skill to shape, appreciate, and understand the power of language will become the slaves of those who retain it - be they politicians, preachers, copywriters, or newscasters.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Gioia defines poetry as using words with maximum meaning and warns that societies losing language skills become enslaved by those who control language.
- In plain terms
- Using words powerfully matters because losing that skill makes people vulnerable to manipulators.
- What can you take from it?
- Protect and cultivate deep language skills in society.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who controls language in your society?
- How does language shape power?
Another view
Not all communication requires the utmost meaning found in poetry.
More from Dana Gioia
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Permalink to quote #35 Poems should be memorized, recited, and performed. The sheer joy of the art must be emphasized. The pleasure of performance is what first attracts children to …
Permalink to quote #37 In social terms the identification of poet with teacher is now complete. The first question one poet now asks another upon being introduced is 'Where do you te…
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