Quotes and anectdotes from the wise to the foolish, and the courageous to the drunk

John Ciardi TV Personality

  • Gender: Male
  • Citizenship: United States
  • Born: Jun 24, 1916
  • Died: Mar 30, 1986

John Anthony Ciardi was an American poet, translator, and etymologist. While primarily known as a poet, he also translated Dante's Divine Comedy, wrote several volumes of children's poetry, pursued etymology, contributed to the Saturday Review as a columnist and long-time poetry editor, and directed the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference in Vermont. In 1959, Ciardi published a book on how to read, write, and teach poetry, How Does a Poem Mean?, which has proven to be among the most-used books of its kind. At the peak of his popularity in the early 1960s, Ciardi also had a network television program on CBS, Accent. Ciardi's impact on poetry is perhaps best measured through the younger poets whom he influenced as a teacher and as editor of the Saturday Review.

Love is the word used to label the sexual excitement of the young, the habituation of the middle-aged, and the mutual dependence of the old. love

You don't have to suffer to be a poet adolescence is enough suffering for anyone. poetry

Poetry lies its way to the truth. poetry

Intelligence recognizes what has happened. Genius recognizes what will happen. intelligence

Every parent is at some time the father of the unreturned prodigal, with nothing to do but keep his house open to hope. dad, hope & time

Modern art is what happens when painters stop looking at girls and persuade themselves that they have a better idea. art