I am this space my body believes in.
Interpretation
This quote reflects the connection between identity and physical existence, suggesting that our sense of self is deeply tied to our bodies and the spaces we inhabit.
Yusef Komunyakaa's quote 'I am this space my body believes in' encapsulates the idea that our physical presence and the environment around us shape our identity. It suggests that the body not only experiences space but also constructs a sense of self that is influenced by the spaces we occupy, both literally and metaphorically. This relationship emphasizes the profound impact of our surroundings on our personal and collective consciousness.
In practice
In a discussion about personal identity at a philosophy seminar.
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.
It wasn't a deliberate decision to become a poet. It was something I found myself doing - and loving. Language became an addiction.
We have to embrace the good over the bad. That has to be one's personal project.
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.
I'm uncomfortable with the focus on the poet and not on the poem.
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.
You can find shame in every house, burning in an ashtray, hanging framed upon a wall, covering a bed. But nobody notices it any more.
Flee the country where a lone man holds all power: It is a nation of slaves.
So, he reasoned, if you can identify the sources of a government's power - people working in civil service, police and judges, even the army - then you know what a dictatorship depends on for its existence.
Fate finds for every man; his share of misery.
Well, you split your soul, you see, and hide part of it in an object outside the body. Then, even if oneβs body is attacked or destroyed, one cannot die, for part of the soul remains earthbound and undamaged. But of course, existence in such a form . . .
Churchill says the Government had to choose between war and shame. They chose shame. They will get war, too.
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