Rita Dove Quotes

37 Sourced Quotes

When the right man smiled it would be
music skittering up her calf
like a chuckle.

Rita Dove

In working on a poem, I love to revise. Lots of younger poets don't enjoy this, but in the process of revision I discover things

Rita Dove

The house, shut up like a pocket watch,
those tight hearts breathing inside —
she could never invent them.

Rita Dove

Here's a riddle for Our Age: when the sky's the limit,
how can you tell you've gone too far?

Rita Dove

Still, it's embarrassing this happiness
Who's satisfied simply with what's good for us,
When has the ordinary ever been news?

Rita Dove

They come
from the east, trunk to tail,
clumsy ballerinas.

Rita Dove

Have you ever tried silk sheets? I did,
persuaded by postnatal dread
and a Macy's clerk to bargain for more zip.
We couldn't hang on, slipped
to the floor and by morning the quilts
had slid off, too. Enough of guilt —
It's hard work staying cool.

Rita Dove

Rita Dove

Rita Dove

Creative Commons

Born: August 28, 1952 (age 72)

Bio: Rita Frances Dove is an American poet and essayist. From 1993 to 1995 she served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress.

Known for:

Thomas and Beulah (1986)
Sonata Mulattica (2009)
American Smooth (2004)
On the Bus with Rosa Parks (1999)
Yellow House on the Corner (1980)

Most used words:

Rita Dove on Wikipedia

Suggest an edit or a new quote

American Author Quotes

20th-century Author Quotes

20th-century Women