31 Quotes by Gerald Stern

I floundered in my twenties. Though I wore a long scarf. And when I got to be thirty I got a job at Temple University in Philadelphia. I worked there for seven years, and I finally got fired, mostly for political reasons.

Teaching poetry, teaching as such, is worthy – if back breaking...

Oppressed cultures often envy those which are not, or oppressed individuals do, and sometimes those which – and who – are not envy those which – who – are.

Tolstoy is one of the greatest artists in history, but he finally became infused with the idea of the uselessness of art. He gave himself to his own kind of religion.

I feel that my job, as an artist, is to disturb the peace. And to disturb it intellectually, linguistically, politically and literally.

It’s just that very few poets disturb the peace to any degree.

Political means so many things. We are political willy-nilly. Political poetry is an easy invitation to disaster. But then so is love poetry. But we are a little more patient with bad love poetry.

The act of writing itself isn’t outrageous. And the institution subtly and insidiously works on you in such a way that though you seem to have freedom you become a servant. Your main issue is to get promoted to the next thing. Or get invited to a picnic. Or get tenure. Or get laid.

The artist looks for a subject. You know, a lot of new poets don’t seem to have a subject. I don’t totally understand that.