"I define poetry as celebration and confrontation. When we witness something, are we responsible for what we witness?"Yusef Komunyakaa
PoetryResponsibility
Yusef Komunyakaa Quotes
50 FAMOUS QUOTES · POET
Yusef Komunyakaa Quotes
Read Yusef Komunyakaa quotes on poetry, language, peace and choosing good from the Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet and Vietnam veteran.
"We have to embrace the good over the bad. That has to be one's personal project."Yusef Komunyakaa
GoodnessPurpose
"Poets are seen as the caretakers of language, so working with words no matter what the form is what we do."Yusef Komunyakaa
PoetryLanguage
"I'm uncomfortable with the focus on the poet and not on the poem."Yusef Komunyakaa
HumilityArt
"Through the years I have seen myself as a peaceful person, but the awareness of the anger is part of that process."Yusef Komunyakaa
PeaceSelf-Awareness
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About Yusef Komunyakaa
American - Poet | Born April 29, 1947
# Yusef Komunyakaa Quotes
Yusef Komunyakaa is an American poet whose work draws on jazz, the American South and his experiences as a soldier in the Vietnam War. Born in Bogalusa, Louisiana, he served as a correspondent and editor of a military newspaper in Vietnam before turning to poetry.
His collection "Neon Vernacular" won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1994, and he has taught poetry at leading universities. His quotes show a thoughtful view of poetry as both celebration and a way of facing hard truths.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Yusef Komunyakaa and these famous quotes.
Who is Yusef Komunyakaa?
Yusef Komunyakaa is an American poet known for work shaped by jazz, the South and his service in the Vietnam War.
Did Yusef Komunyakaa win a Pulitzer Prize?
Yes, he won the 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for "Neon Vernacular."
Where is Yusef Komunyakaa from?
He was born and raised in Bogalusa, Louisiana.
What is Yusef Komunyakaa's most famous quote?
A well-known line is "I define poetry as celebration and confrontation."