The difference between poetry and rhetoric is being ready to kill yourself instead of your children

The difference between poetry and rhetoric is being ready to kill yourself instead of your children

Audre Lorde, a renowned poet, writer, and activist, once famously said, "The difference between poetry and rhetoric is being ready to kill yourself instead of your children." This powerful statement speaks to the profound emotional depth and vulnerability that is often present in poetry, as opposed to the more manipulative and persuasive nature of rhetoric.

In the context of Audre Lorde's work, this quote can be interpreted as a call to authenticity and honesty in one's writing. Lorde was known for her raw and unapologetic exploration of themes such as race, gender, sexuality, and identity in her poetry. She believed in the power of language to challenge societal norms and bring about social change. For Lorde, poetry was a means of self-expression and resistance, a way to speak truth to power and confront the injustices of the world.