Anne Stevenson Quotes

A collection of quotes by Anne Stevenson.

Anne Stevenson (1933-2020) was a renowned British-American poet, biographer, and critic. Born on January 3, 1933, in Cambridge, England, she grew up in the midst of World War II and was deeply influenced by the tumultuous era. Stevenson began writing poetry at an early age and was published in various literary magazines while still a teenager.

In the 1950s, Stevenson moved to the United States and became associated with the famous literary movement known as the New York School of poets. She went on to complete her bachelor's degree in musicology and literature at the University of Michigan and later pursued a master's degree in creative writing at the University of Iowa.

Throughout her career, Anne Stevenson published numerous collections of poetry, including "Living in America," "The Fiction-Makers," and "Correspondences." Her poetry often explored themes of identity, love, nature, and the human experience, blending vivid imagery with a strong sense of introspection.

Stevenson was widely celebrated for her poetic talent and received numerous accolades, including the Lannan Literary Award for Poetry and the Northern Rock Foundation Writer's Award. Besides her poetry, she also gained recognition as a biographer, publishing insightful works on Sylvia Plath and Elizabeth Bishop.

Anne Stevenson passed away on September 14, 2020, leaving behind a significant body of work that continues to inspire and resonate with readers around the world. Her contributions to contemporary poetry are cherished, and she is remembered as a skilled wordsmith who captured the nuances of life with profound insight and sensitivity.

I don't like poetry that just slaps violent words on a canva

I don't like poetry that just slaps violent words on a canvas, as it were.

Anne Stevenson


I did know Ted Hughes and I partly wrote the book to explain

I did know Ted Hughes and I partly wrote the book to explain to myself and others the complexities of a marriage that was for six years wonderfully productive of poetry and then ended in tragedy.

Anne Stevenson

Marriage

I'm not really quiet or shy. Ask any of my friends! But I al

I'm not really quiet or shy. Ask any of my friends! But I always ground my poetry in life itself. Poetry is an art of language, though, so I am always aware of every word's meaning, or multiple meanings.

Anne Stevenson

Poetry

Yes, I do often write poems from the mind, but I hope I don'

Yes, I do often write poems from the mind, but I hope I don't ignore feelings and emotions.

Anne Stevenson

Hope

I dislike literary jargon and never use it. Criticism has on

I dislike literary jargon and never use it. Criticism has only one function and that is to help readers read and understand literature. It is not a science, it is an aid to art.

Anne Stevenson

Science

Poets should ignore most criticism and get on with making po

Poets should ignore most criticism and get on with making poetry.

Anne Stevenson

Poetry

Each word bears its weight, so you have to read my poems qui

Each word bears its weight, so you have to read my poems quite slowly.

Anne Stevenson

Poetry

I have always made my own rules, in poetry as in life - thou

I have always made my own rules, in poetry as in life - though I have tried of late to cooperate more with my family. I do, however, believe that without order or pattern poetry is useless.

Anne Stevenson

Poetry

A poem might be defined as thinking about feelings - about h

A poem might be defined as thinking about feelings - about human feelings and frailties.

Anne Stevenson

Poetry