Kenneth Koch Quotes

A collection of quotes by Kenneth Koch.

Kenneth Koch (1925-2002) was an American poet, playwright, and professor. Born on February 27, 1925, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Koch grew up in a middle-class Jewish family. He attended Harvard University, where he studied under renowned poets Archibald MacLeish and John Ciardi. Koch's experiences at Harvard greatly influenced his early poetry.

In the late 1950s, Koch emerged as a prominent figure in the New York School of poetry, a group that included fellow writers such as Frank O'Hara and John Ashbery. The New York School poets often embraced a playful and avant-garde style, combining everyday language with richly imaginative and diverse subject matter.

Koch's poetic style was characterized by his wit, humor, and an ability to blend the mundane with the extraordinary. His work skillfully experimented with form and language, transcending traditional boundaries. Notable poetry collections by Koch include "Thank You" and "One Train." Additionally, he wrote several plays, including "The Red Robins," which was performed off-Broadway in 1972.

While renowned for his literary contributions, Koch also served as a dedicated teacher for many years. He taught at various universities, including Columbia University and the New School for Social Research. Throughout his career, Koch received numerous accolades, such as the Bollingen Prize for Poetry in 1995.

Kenneth Koch passed away on July 6, 2002, leaving a lasting legacy as a poet and an influential figure in American literature. His innovative approach to poetry continues to inspire and captivate readers today.

I was influenced by surrealist poetry and painting as were t

I was influenced by surrealist poetry and painting as were thousands of other people, and it seems to me to have become a part of the way I write, but it's not.

Kenneth Koch

Poetry

I was excited by what my painter friends were doing, and the

I was excited by what my painter friends were doing, and they seemed to be interested in our poetry too, and that was a wonderful little, fizzy sort of world.

Kenneth Koch

Poetry

The subject matter of the stories on the surface... there se

The subject matter of the stories on the surface... there seem to be a number of stories about travel.

Kenneth Koch

Travel

Certainly, it seems true enough that there's a good deal of

Certainly, it seems true enough that there's a good deal of irony in the world... I mean, if you live in a world full of politicians and advertising, there's obviously a lot of deception.

Kenneth Koch

Good

I wonder if I ever thought of an ideal reader... I guess whe

I wonder if I ever thought of an ideal reader... I guess when I was in my 20s and in New York and maybe even in my early 30s, I would write for my wife Janice... mainly for my poet friends and my wife, who was very smart about poetry.

Kenneth Koch

Poetry

I love painting and music, of course. I don't know nearly as

I love painting and music, of course. I don't know nearly as much about them as I know about poetry. I've certainly been influenced by fiction. I was overwhelmed by War and Peace when I read it, and I didn't read it until I was in my late 20s.

Kenneth Koch

Poetry

As for political poetry, as it's usually defined, it seems t

As for political poetry, as it's usually defined, it seems there's very little good political poetry.

Kenneth Koch

Poetry