Who said “What is a poem but a hazardous attempt at self-understanding? It is the deepest part of…”?

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Robert Penn Warren. A published source records them saying or writing it.

Source"Poetry Is a Kind of Unconscious Autobiography" in The New York Times (12 May 1985)

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“What is a poem but a hazardous attempt at self-understanding? It is the deepest part of autobiography.”
— Robert Penn Warren
Verified"Poetry Is a Kind of Unconscious Autobiography" in The New York Times (12 May 1985) · evidenceBiography
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: "Poetry Is a Kind of Unconscious Autobiography" in The New York Times (12 May 1985).

APA

Warren, R. P. (n.d.). What is a poem but a hazardous attempt at self-understanding? It is the deepest part of autobiography. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8318-what-is-a-poem-but-a-hazardous-attempt/

MLA

Warren, Robert Penn. “What is a poem but a hazardous attempt at self-understanding? It is the deepest part of autobiography.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8318-what-is-a-poem-but-a-hazardous-attempt/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Warren, Robert Penn. “What is a poem but a hazardous attempt at self-understanding? It is the deepest part of autobiography.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8318-what-is-a-poem-but-a-hazardous-attempt/.

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