Mary Szybist Quotes

Powerful Mary Szybist for Daily Growth

About Mary Szybist

Mary Szybist (born June 25, 1966) is an American poet known for her intricate, imagistic, and often spiritually themed verse. Raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, she developed a love for literature at a young age, influenced by her mother's voracious reading habits. Szybist earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Dayton before pursuing graduate studies at Boston University, where she received both an MA and MFA in Creative Writing. She then went on to teach at various institutions, including Colby College and Vanderbilt University, and currently serves as a professor at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Her first collection of poetry, "Girl in Landscape" (2003), was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pen Open Book Award. Szybist's second book, "Incarnadine" (2013), won the National Book Award for Poetry, solidifying her position as one of America's foremost contemporary poets. The collection explores themes of mortality, faith, and the mysteries of existence through vivid, evocative imagery. In 2017, Szybist published "The Moral Imagination: The Art and Soul of Building Peace," a nonfiction work that examines the role of empathy in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Her latest poetry collection, "Tuscon" (2021), delves into the aftermath of a mass shooting and the resilience of community in the face of tragedy. Mary Szybist's work is characterized by its meditative quality, profound introspection, and exploration of humanity's place within the natural world. Her poetry continues to captivate readers with its depth, beauty, and enduring emotional resonance.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed entirely."

This quote by Mary Szybist emphasizes that growth, adaptation, and transformation are fundamental aspects of life. It suggests that true perfection lies not in maintaining a static state but in undergoing profound changes throughout one's existence. In other words, the more we evolve and adapt to the ever-changing circumstances of life, the closer we come to achieving perfection.


"Everything we do, no matter how small, can be a prayer."

This quote by Mary Szybist emphasizes that every action, regardless of its apparent significance, carries an element of intention and mindfulness, making it a form of expression or communication. In essence, the everyday activities we engage in, if performed with thoughtfulness and care, can be viewed as expressions of our inner selves, hopes, and values – a silent prayer to the universe or ourselves. The idea is that life itself becomes an act of reverence when we approach it mindfully, finding meaning even in the smallest tasks.


"There is a way of being in the world that does not require answers but simply invites us to look with open eyes."

Mary Szybist's quote emphasizes the importance of embracing curiosity, observation, and open-mindedness when navigating life. It suggests that seeking immediate answers is not always necessary or beneficial; instead, it encourages us to appreciate the world around us without prejudice and foster a deeper understanding by simply observing and reflecting upon our experiences.


"To learn something new is to become capable of loving something new."

This quote by Mary Szybist suggests that acquiring new knowledge or skills opens up our hearts to experience love for new things, ideas, or aspects of life. Learning fosters a capacity for empathy, understanding, and appreciation that wasn't there before, allowing us to form emotional connections with a broader range of subjects and experiences.


"In every act of love and kindness, there is an element of trust."

This quote emphasizes the essential role of trust in any act of love or kindness. It suggests that when we show love or perform a kind action towards another person, we implicitly trust them to reciprocate, understand our intentions, and appreciate our efforts. Trust is a foundational element that fosters relationships by promoting mutual respect, vulnerability, and connection. It underpins the bond between individuals, enabling them to form deeper, more meaningful connections.


I turn to poems to find spaces that might enlarge, rather than distill, experience.

- Mary Szybist

Find, Rather, Poems, Spaces

I was thinking recently about the popularity of TV shows about people shopping for houses. I wonder if part of their appeal is the chance to vicariously imagine our lives playing out in a variety of spaces. We have a sense that the shape and style of our dwellings affects the shapes of the lives that unfold within them.

- Mary Szybist

Part, TV, About, Spaces

Writing poems is a chance to construct spaces that I want to imaginatively inhabit.

- Mary Szybist

Chance, Poems, Inhabit, Spaces

When I was young, I reached a point where I found myself unable to pray. I was devastated by it. I missed being able to say words in my head that I believed could be heard by a being, a consciousness outside me. That is when I turned to poetry.

- Mary Szybist

Young, Point, Turned, Devastated

I think that a good deal of poetry and art gives us some sense of access to another's voice, perception, texture of thought, imagination. Sometimes it gives us better access to the strangeness in ourselves.

- Mary Szybist

Voice, Think, Some, Strangeness

Sometimes I have a hard time distinguishing between faith and hope.

- Mary Szybist

Faith, Sometimes, Hard Time, Distinguishing

I have always been attracted to apostrophe, perhaps because of its resemblance to prayer. A voice reaches out to something beyond itself that cannot answer it. I find that moving in part because it enacts what is true of all address and communication on some level - it cannot fully be heard, understood, or answered.

- Mary Szybist

Voice, Some, Been, Resemblance

Form is endlessly interesting to me, and I love poetry as a formal enterprise.

- Mary Szybist

Love, Formal, I Love, Endlessly

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