Quote by Joseph Brodsky
In the works of the better poets you get the sensation that they're not talking to people any more, or to some seraphical creature. What they're doing is simply talking back to the language itself --as beauty, sensuality, wisdom, irony --those aspects of language of which the poet is a clear mirror. Poetry is not an art or a branch of art, it's something more. If what distinguishes us from other species is speech, then poetry, which is the supreme linguistic operation, is our anthropological, indeed genetic, goal. Anyone who regards poetry as an entertainment, as a read, commits an anthropological crime, in the first place, against himself.
Summary
This quote, attributed to Argentine writer Octavio Paz, suggests that in the works of great poets, the focus is not so much on communicating with ordinary people or divine beings, but rather on engaging with language itself. The poet acts as a mirror, reflecting the beauty, sensuality, wisdom, and irony inherent in language. Poetry is not merely an art form; it is something deeper, serving as the ultimate linguistic expression. Paz argues that if speech is what distinguishes humans from other species, then poetry, with its elevated use of language, is our fundamental and innate goal. Viewing poetry solely as entertainment is seen as a violation against our own human essence.
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