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Poetry helps me understand who I am. It helps me understand the world around me. But above all, what poetry has taught me is the fact that I need to embrace mystery in order to be completely human.
Yusef Komunyakaa
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Poetry is a means of self-discovery and understanding the complexities of life.

In this quote, Yusef Komunyakaa expresses the powerful role that poetry plays in both personal identity and comprehension of the world. He emphasizes that poetry not only aids in self-reflection but also encourages an appreciation for the mysteries of existence, suggesting that accepting these uncertainties is essential to being truly human.

Themes

PoetryUnderstandingMysteryHumanityIdentity

In practice

Example use cases

In a literature class, discussing how poetry helps express emotions.

More from Yusef Komunyakaa

Students often have such a lofty idea of what a poem is, and I want them to realize that their own lives are where the poetry comes from. The most important things are to respect the language; to know the classical rules, even if only to break them; and to be prepared to edit, to revise, to shape.
Yusef KomunyakaaRead
It wasn't a deliberate decision to become a poet. It was something I found myself doing - and loving. Language became an addiction.
Yusef KomunyakaaRead
We have to embrace the good over the bad. That has to be one's personal project.
Yusef KomunyakaaRead
I originally wanted to embrace the imagery and forthrightness of rap music. There are some interesting, dynamic voices in rap. But I find most of it irresponsible in its overt violence and commercialization of anger. As artists, we believe we can will action through language. If that's the case, we have to take responsibility for what we say.
Yusef KomunyakaaRead
I'm uncomfortable with the focus on the poet and not on the poem.
Yusef KomunyakaaRead
Tonight I feel the stars are out_x000D_ to use me for target practice.
Yusef KomunyakaaRead

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