All poets who, when reading from their own works, experience a choked feeling, are major. For that matter, all poets who read from their own works are major, whether they choke or not.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Great poets often choke when reading their own work, but any poet reading aloud is significant.
- In plain terms
- Poets who read their work aloud, whether they choke or not, are major figures.
- What can you take from it?
- Reading one's own work is a sign of a serious poet.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does reading aloud reveal the truth of a poem?
- Is performance part of poetry?
Another view
Not all major poets choke when reading their work.
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