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Proem Art and Culture Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Line)

Quote #1

At times poetry is the vertigo of bodies and the vertigo of joy and the vertigo of death; (1)

The opening line lets us know that the whole poem is going to be about poetry, with its repeated definitions of what the art form can be.

Quote #2

the descent of parachuting words onto the sands of the page; (4)

This image of poetic creation is playful and makes poetry seem like a random occurrence, like something that falls out of the sky.

Quote #3

the recollection of pronouns freshly cut in the garden of Epicurus, and the garden of Netzahualcoyotl; (9)

The references to Epicurus and Netzahualcoyotl show off just how deeply rooted in our culture poetry is (hint: it's ancient!).