Muriel Rukeyser was an American poet and political activist, best known for her poems about equality, feminism, social justice, and Judaism. Kenneth Rexroth said that she was the greatest poet of her "exact generation".
One of her most powerful pieces was a group of poems entitled The Book of the Dead, documenting the details of the Hawk's Nest incident, an industrial disaster in which hundreds of miners died of silicosis.
Her poem "To be a Jew in the Twentieth Century", on the theme of Judaism as a gift, was adopted by the American Reform and Reconstructionist movements for their prayer books, something Rukeyser said "astonished" her, as she had remained distant from Judaism throughout her early life.
Breathe-in experience, breathe-out poetry. experience & poetry
If there were no poetry on any day in the world, poetry would be invented that day. For there would be an intolerable hunger. poetry
The sources of poetry are in the spirit seeking completeness. poetry
There is no language like the Irish for soothing and quieting. 3 more quotes from John Millington Synge
3 more quotes from John Millington Synge
Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy. 28 quotes from William Butler Yeats
28 quotes from William Butler Yeats
Geographically, Ireland is a medium-sized rural island that is slowly but steadily being consumed by sheep. 27 quotes from Dave Barry
27 quotes from Dave Barry
We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English. 74 other wisdom & wit from Winston Churchill
74 other wisdom & wit from Winston Churchill