Quotes from Joseph Brodsky
Prison is essentially a shortage of space made up for by a surplus of time; to an inmate, both are palpable.
— Joseph Brodsky
The more one reads poetry, the less tolerant one becomes of any sort of verbosity, be that in political or philosophical discourse, be that in history, social studies or the art of fiction.
— Joseph Brodsky
It is not just shameful for a contemporary American poet to use rhymes, it is unthinkable. It seems banal to him; he fears banality worse than anything, and therefore, he uses free verse - though free verse is no guarantee against banality.
— Joseph Brodsky
There are places in which things don't change. These are a substitute for one's memory.
— Joseph Brodsky
The real history of consciousness starts with one's first lie.
— Joseph Brodsky
For the poet the credo or doctrine is not the point of arrival but is, on the contrary, the point of departure for the metaphysical journey.
— Joseph Brodsky
Who included me among the ranks of the human race?
— Joseph Brodsky
A free man, when he fails, blames nobody.
— Joseph Brodsky
By failing to read or listen to poets, society dooms itself to inferior modes of articulation, those of the politician, the salesman or the charlatan.
— Joseph Brodsky
What we regard as Evil is capable of a fairly ubiquitous presence if only because it tends to appear in the guise of good.
— Joseph Brodsky
I wrote poems. That is my work. I am convinced... I believe that what I wrote will be useful to people not only now but in future generations.
— Joseph Brodsky
Still, if it comes to the point where the blue acrylic dappled with cirrus suggests the Lord, say Give me strength to sustain the hurt, and learn it by heart like a decent lyric.
— Joseph Brodsky