This quote elevates poetry beyond mere entertainment, defining it as a vital tool for survival and social change. It suggests that creative expression can be a powerful force against oppression, offering protection, a voice for the marginalized, and a way to fight for justice.
Quote by Gioconda Belli: “Poetry is not a luxury; it is a weapon, a shield, a song of resistance.”
Poetry is not a luxury; it is a weapon, a shield, a song of resistance.
Insight
Historical Context
During the height of the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua, Belli and other artists actively used poetry as a form of political expression and solidarity, embodying the idea of art as a revolutionary tool.
About the Author
Nicaraguan poet and novelist who was an active participant in the Sandinista revolution that overthrew the Somoza dictatorship in 1979. Her work, including the novel The Inhabited Woman, interweaves erotic sensuality, political commitment, and feminist consciousness in ways that defined a generation of Latin American women's writing.
View all quotes by Gioconda Belli