I like the idea of isolation. I like the reality of it. You realize what you are... not that the knowledge is inevitably rewarding. Joseph Brodsky More Quotes by Joseph Brodsky More Quotes From Joseph Brodsky Bad literature is a form of treason. Joseph Brodsky treason form literature Snobbery? But it's only a form of despair. Joseph Brodsky snobbery despair form The real history of consciousness starts with one's first lie. Joseph Brodsky real lying firsts I'm not trying to be ridiculous or funny, but it was rather pleasant to find yourself in isolation, in solitary. Joseph Brodsky finding-yourself ridiculous trying The Constitution doesn't mention rain. Joseph Brodsky constitution rain In America, a metrical poem is likely to conjure up the idea of the sort of poet who wears ties and lunches at the faculty club. In Russia it suggests the moral force of an art practiced against the greatest personal odds, as a discipline, solitary and intense. Joseph Brodsky russia odds art Racism? But isn't it only a form of misanthropy? Joseph Brodsky misanthropy racism race A language is a more ancient and inevitable thing than any state. Joseph Brodsky ancient states language All the literati keep at least one imaginary friend. Joseph Brodsky imaginary-friend imaginary My poems getting published in Russia doesn't make me feel in any fashion, to tell you the truth. I'm not trying to be coy, but it doesn't tickle my ego. Joseph Brodsky russia ego fashion Language and, presumably, literature are more ancient and inevitable, more durable than any form of social organization. The revulsion, irony, or indifference often expressed by literature toward the state is essentially the reaction of the permanent-better yet, the infinite-against the temporary, against the finite. Joseph Brodsky irony organization literature I'm neither Catholic not Protestant. Protestant sounds good but I don't think I am. Joseph Brodsky catholic sound thinking Who included me among the ranks of the human race? Joseph Brodsky human-race humans race It's partly the fault of the institutions of education. But it's partly the decision to be relieved of responsibility. Literature is simply the most focused form of the demands on the evolution of the species. It imposes a certain responsibility, moral, ethical and esthetic responsibility, and the species simply doesn't want to oblige. Joseph Brodsky faults decision responsibility Every writing career starts as a personal quest for sainthood, for self-betterment. Sooner or later, and as a rule quite soon, a man discovers that his pen accomplishes a lot more than his soul. Joseph Brodsky self writing men What I like about cities is that everything is king size, the beauty and the ugliness. Joseph Brodsky cities kings beauty I don't want to dive into that mud slide, which is what I consider the literary process. Joseph Brodsky mud slides want I grew up in the sort of cultural milieu that always regarded conversations about the political discourse as tremendously low-brow. Joseph Brodsky political grew-up lows I'm 100 percent Jewish by blood, but by education I'm nothing. By affiliation I'm nothing. Joseph Brodsky percent affiliation blood ...in the business of writing what one accumulates is not expertise but uncertainties. Which is but another name for craft. Joseph Brodsky crafts names writing
