Adagio for the Internally Displaced Quotes

“The refugee to me is an ambassador. She comes with tales from an ancient, far-away world. The stories, the wisdom, is honed in adversity. My book, Adagio, comes in part from my experience of visiting refugees in jail, and advocating for refugees in my homeland of Italy. The words I write are not only mine, but a contemplation on the loss, grief and hope of those I care for. This is why I donate all my royalties back to refugee support charities. My poetry was written for them and it should return to them.”
― Elia Po, Adagio for the Internally Displaced

“[...] in the context of a flood of dark news concerning climate change, refugees and globalization, how can a poem not only provide a pause to remember, but a place of hope: a new plateau of care, compassion and justice?”
― Elia Po, Adagio for the Internally Displaced

“In the postmodern condition, truth and subjectivity is not entirely dead, but it is not fully alive. Weak thought invites humility, listening, and tentative openings [...] It is a groundwork I hope to explore in my poetry more fully.”
― Elia Po, Adagio for the Internally Displaced

“Language, as usual, is exiled from us.”
― Elia Po, Adagio for the Internally Displaced