The attitude that poetry should not be analyzed is prevalent among many who consider themselves experts on children's literature. But I suspected that kids like to look closely at things and figure out what makes them go. X. J. Kennedy More Quotes by X. J. Kennedy More Quotes From X. J. Kennedy The Purpose of Time is to Prevent Everything from Happening at Once X. J. Kennedy happenings purpose In poetry, only emotion endures. X. J. Kennedy endure emotion Poetry is probably the one field of writing in which it is a mistake to try to psych out editors. In fact, specific marketing advice can sometimes harm the novice poet by enticing him to pursue fashions. The poet's best hope is to sound like nobody else, The finest, most enduring poetry constructs a marketplace of its own. X. J. Kennedy fashion mistake writing On solemn asses fall plush sinecures, So keep a straight face and sit tight on yours. X. J. Kennedy ass faces fall In thigh-high yellow leather boots Plump Saphonisba strides. Too bad that, just to hide her calves, Two calves have lost their hides. X. J. Kennedy boots yellow two Let you hold in mind, girls, that your beauty must pass X. J. Kennedy carpe-diem girl white I’d be glad to go out on a limb with those X. J. Kennedy light air wind My real name is Joe Kennedy, but if you live in Massachusetts, you can't sign 'Joe Kennedy.' So, back in 1957, I stuck the X on my name to be different from those people in Hyannis Port. X. J. Kennedy be-different name you people As a writer given to the old formalities of rhyme and meter, I sometimes feel endangered these days. X. J. Kennedy days old feel sometimes To me, a poem that's in rhyme and meter is the difference between watching a film in full color and watching a film in black and white. Not that a few black and white films aren't wonderful. So are certain successful pieces of free verse. X. J. Kennedy me black-and-white black white I like poems where you don't really know whether to laugh or cry when you read them. X. J. Kennedy laugh know you cry I don't think anybody is a poet 24/7, only in those rare moments when a person is producing a poem. X. J. Kennedy person think poet moments
