Quotes | Most Inspiring and Motivational Quotes

"There is probably no oral society that fails to mark the spatial distinction of left and right, peculiar as this distinction may be."

"There is probably no oral society that fails to mark the spatial distinction of left and right, peculiar as this distinction may be."

David Antin, American Poet

Society, May, Right

40

"When I got to the reading all the work, I was reduced to being an actor in an experimental play that I'd already written. And I didn't want to be an actor."

"When I got to the reading all the work, I was reduced to being an actor in an experimental play that I'd already written. And I didn't want to be an actor."

David Antin, American Poet

Reading, Work, Actor, Being, Play

43

"When my mother left her second husband, she wrote her autobiography and presented it to him for his approval."

"When my mother left her second husband, she wrote her autobiography and presented it to him for his approval."

David Antin, American Poet

Family, Mother, Husbapproval, Autobiography

42

"When you grow up in a family of languages, you develop a kind of casual fluency, so that languages, though differently colored, all seem transparent to experience."

"When you grow up in a family of languages, you develop a kind of casual fluency, so that languages, though differently colored, all seem transparent to experience."

David Antin, American Poet

Experience, Family

36

"I've always had a strong feeling for the Statue of Liberty, because it became the statue of my personal liberty."

"I've always had a strong feeling for the Statue of Liberty, because it became the statue of my personal liberty."

David Antin, American Poet

Emotional, Feeling, Liberty

32

"While I've had a great distaste for what's usually called song in modern poetry or for what's usually called music, I really don't think of speech as so far from song."

"While I've had a great distaste for what's usually called song in modern poetry or for what's usually called music, I really don't think of speech as so far from song."

David Antin, American Poet

Poetry, Music, Song, Speech

35

"I have spoken to expert audiences occasionally, but then no audience is expert over the whole range of things I want to explore."

"I have spoken to expert audiences occasionally, but then no audience is expert over the whole range of things I want to explore."

David Antin, American Poet

Audience, Audiences, Want

41

"While I don't script and I don't use other performers, I think my taste for underlying precision gives me something in common with Allan and George Brecht."

"While I don't script and I don't use other performers, I think my taste for underlying precision gives me something in common with Allan and George Brecht."

David Antin, American Poet

Brecht, Taste

33

"I had no idea where these kids at a small private college in the San Fernando Valley were coming from, why they were coming to hear me, or what they needed to know."

"I had no idea where these kids at a small private college in the San Fernando Valley were coming from, why they were coming to hear me, or what they needed to know."

David Antin, American Poet

Creativity, Idea, College, Kids

39

"A myth is the name of a terrible lie told by a smelly little brown person to a man in a white suit with a pair of binoculars."

"A myth is the name of a terrible lie told by a smelly little brown person to a man in a white suit with a pair of binoculars."

David Antin, American Poet

Lie, Man, Myth, Name

30

"Children frequently sing meaningful phrases to themselves over and over again before they learn to make a distinction between singing and saying."

"Children frequently sing meaningful phrases to themselves over and over again before they learn to make a distinction between singing and saying."

David Antin, American Poet

Family, Children, Saying, Singing

34

"Disney made a fortune out of inventing the businessman's idea of the imaginary as the contradictory of the businessman's idea of the real."

"Disney made a fortune out of inventing the businessman's idea of the imaginary as the contradictory of the businessman's idea of the real."

David Antin, American Poet

Creativity, Idea, Disney, Fortune

32

"For several centuries what has passed for song in literary circles was any text that looked like the lyrics for a commonplace melodic setting."

"For several centuries what has passed for song in literary circles was any text that looked like the lyrics for a commonplace melodic setting."

David Antin, American Poet

Music, Literary, Song

37

"From this entertainment industry, may the gods of language protect us."

"From this entertainment industry, may the gods of language protect us."

David Antin, American Poet

God, Gods, Entertainment, Language, May

32

"I reserve the right to tell shaggy dog stories or even common jokes as part of what I'm doing. I don't give a damn if half the audience walks out."

"I reserve the right to tell shaggy dog stories or even common jokes as part of what I'm doing. I don't give a damn if half the audience walks out."

David Antin, American Poet

Shaggy, Jokes, Right

38

"I didn't think about whether I was writing poems. I was thinking. And the more I was thinking, the more there was I didn't understand."

"I didn't think about whether I was writing poems. I was thinking. And the more I was thinking, the more there was I didn't understand."

David Antin, American Poet

Poems, Thinking, Writing

48

"I'm standing up thinking. Anybody who wants to listen is welcome. If not, I'm happy to see them go."

"I'm standing up thinking. Anybody who wants to listen is welcome. If not, I'm happy to see them go."

David Antin, American Poet

Thinking,

40

"I hardly remember how I started to write poetry. It's hard to imagine what I thought poetry could do."

"I hardly remember how I started to write poetry. It's hard to imagine what I thought poetry could do."

David Antin, American Poet

Poetry, Thought

41

"I learned enough Hebrew to stagger through a meaningless ceremony that I scarcely remember."

"I learned enough Hebrew to stagger through a meaningless ceremony that I scarcely remember."

David Antin, American Poet

Hebrew, Ceremony

41

"I wanted to be an inventor, whatever I thought that meant then. I guess I was thinking of Edison or maybe James Watt. Or maybe even Newton."

"I wanted to be an inventor, whatever I thought that meant then. I guess I was thinking of Edison or maybe James Watt. Or maybe even Newton."

David Antin, American Poet

Thought, Thinking

38

"I was trying to find out what it was that everybody else understood without giving up my stubborn and hard-won lack of understanding."

"I was trying to find out what it was that everybody else understood without giving up my stubborn and hard-won lack of understanding."

David Antin, American Poet

Understanding, Giving, Trying

49

"I was very committed to the process of composing, working at poems, putting things together and taking them apart like some kind of experimental filmmaker."

"I was very committed to the process of composing, working at poems, putting things together and taking them apart like some kind of experimental filmmaker."

David Antin, American Poet

Poems,

42

"I'm aware of my audience in a way, and I do try to engage with them while I'm trying to go about my business of thinking. I believe they help me by providing a focus."

"I'm aware of my audience in a way, and I do try to engage with them while I'm trying to go about my business of thinking. I believe they help me by providing a focus."

David Antin, American Poet

Business, Focus, Help, Thinking

36

"I'm not sure what theory is, unless it's the pursuit of fundamental questions."

"I'm not sure what theory is, unless it's the pursuit of fundamental questions."

David Antin, American Poet

Theory, Pursuit, Questions

46

"I can manage a prose format as long as I keep closer to Laurence Sterne than to Henry James."

"I can manage a prose format as long as I keep closer to Laurence Sterne than to Henry James."

David Antin, American Poet

Prose,

58

"The czar was always sending us commands - you shall not do this and you shall not do that - till there was very little left that we might do, except pay tribute and die."

"The czar was always sending us commands - you shall not do this and you shall not do that - till there was very little left that we might do, except pay tribute and die."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Czar, Tribute

48

"The czar always got his dues, no matter if it ruined a family."

"The czar always got his dues, no matter if it ruined a family."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Family,

42

"As we moved along in a little procession, I was delighted with the illumination of the streets. So many lamps, and they burned until morning, my father said, and so people did not need to carry lanterns."

"As we moved along in a little procession, I was delighted with the illumination of the streets. So many lamps, and they burned until morning, my father said, and so people did not need to carry lanterns."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Family, Father, People

37

"His struggle for a bare living left him no time to take advantage of the public evening school. In time he learned to read, to follow a conversation or lecture; but he never learned to write correctly; and his pronunciation remains extremely foreign to this day."

"His struggle for a bare living left him no time to take advantage of the public evening school. In time he learned to read, to follow a conversation or lecture; but he never learned to write correctly; and his pronunciation remains extremely foreign to this day."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Time, Conversation, Day, Evening

43

"If education, culture, the higher life were shining things to be worshiped from afar, he had still a means left whereby he could draw one step nearer to them."

"If education, culture, the higher life were shining things to be worshiped from afar, he had still a means left whereby he could draw one step nearer to them."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Life, Education, Culture

50

"In the evening of the first day my father conducted us to the public baths."

"In the evening of the first day my father conducted us to the public baths."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Family, Father, Day, Evening, First

35

"No, the czar did not want us in the schools."

"No, the czar did not want us in the schools."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

School, Schools, Want

41

"On a royal birthday every house must fly a flag, or the owner would be dragged to a police station and be fined twenty-five rubles."

"On a royal birthday every house must fly a flag, or the owner would be dragged to a police station and be fined twenty-five rubles."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Birthday, Police

47

"One positive command he gave us: You shall love and honor your emperor. In every congregation a prayer must be said for the czar's health, or the chief of police would close the synagogue."

"One positive command he gave us: You shall love and honor your emperor. In every congregation a prayer must be said for the czar's health, or the chief of police would close the synagogue."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Love, Health, Positive, Honor

48

"There was one public school for boys, and one for girls, but Jewish children were admitted in limited numbers - only ten to a hundred; and even the lucky ones had their troubles."

"There was one public school for boys, and one for girls, but Jewish children were admitted in limited numbers - only ten to a hundred; and even the lucky ones had their troubles."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Boys, Children, Girls, Numbers

52

"The apex of my civic pride and personal contentment was reached on the bright September morning when I entered the public school."

"The apex of my civic pride and personal contentment was reached on the bright September morning when I entered the public school."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Public, Contentment, Pride, School

43

"The first meal was an object lesson of much variety. My father produced several kinds of food, ready to eat, without any cooking, from little tin cans that had printing all over them."

"The first meal was an object lesson of much variety. My father produced several kinds of food, ready to eat, without any cooking, from little tin cans that had printing all over them."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Food, Father, Cooking, First

34

"We are not born all at once, but by bits. The body first, and the spirit later; and the birth and growth of the spirit, in those who are attentive to their own inner life, are slow and exceedingly painful."

"We are not born all at once, but by bits. The body first, and the spirit later; and the birth and growth of the spirit, in those who are attentive to their own inner life, are slow and exceedingly painful."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Life, Growth, Body, First

58

"You heard on all sides that the brightest Jewish children were turned down if the examining officers did not like the turn of their noses."

"You heard on all sides that the brightest Jewish children were turned down if the examining officers did not like the turn of their noses."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Family, Children, Noses

47

"You went up to be examined with the other Jewish children, your heart heavy about that matter of your nose."

"You went up to be examined with the other Jewish children, your heart heavy about that matter of your nose."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Heart, Children

74

"Our mothers are racked with the pains of our physical birth; we ourselves suffer the longer pains of our spiritual growth."

"Our mothers are racked with the pains of our physical birth; we ourselves suffer the longer pains of our spiritual growth."

Mary Antin, Russian Activist

Growth, Mothers, Spiritual

44

"The quest for riches darkens the sense of right and wrong."

"The quest for riches darkens the sense of right and wrong."

Antiphanes, Greek Writer

Riches, Quest, Right, Sense, Wrong

129

"Everything yields to diligence."

Antiphanes, Greek Writer

Diligence,

61

"Old age is, so to speak, the sanctuary of ills: they all take refuge in it."

"Old age is, so to speak, the sanctuary of ills: they all take refuge in it."

Antiphanes, Greek Writer

Age, Old

52

"Poverty is the schoolmaster of character."

"Poverty is the schoolmaster of character."

Antiphanes, Greek Writer

Character, Poverty

40

"Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults."

"Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults."

Antisthenes, Greek Philosopher

Enemy, Enemies, Faults, First

58

"As iron is eaten away by rust, so the envious are consumed by their own passion."

"As iron is eaten away by rust, so the envious are consumed by their own passion."

Antisthenes, Greek Philosopher

Passion,

60

"Not to unlearn what you have learned is the most necessary kind of learning."

"Not to unlearn what you have learned is the most necessary kind of learning."

Antisthenes, Greek Philosopher

Learning,

37

"Pay attention to your enemies, for they are the first to discover your mistakes."

"Pay attention to your enemies, for they are the first to discover your mistakes."

Antisthenes, Greek Philosopher

Attention, Enemies, First, Mistakes

49

"The most useful piece of learning for the uses of life is to unlearn what is untrue."

"The most useful piece of learning for the uses of life is to unlearn what is untrue."

Antisthenes, Greek Philosopher

Life, Learning

All Quotes Collection

"There is probably no oral society that fails to mark the spatial distinction of left and right, peculiar as this distinction may be."

40

"When I got to the reading all the work, I was reduced to being an actor in an experimental play that I'd already written. And I didn't want to be an actor."

43

"When my mother left her second husband, she wrote her autobiography and presented it to him for his approval."

42

"When you grow up in a family of languages, you develop a kind of casual fluency, so that languages, though differently colored, all seem transparent to experience."

36

"I've always had a strong feeling for the Statue of Liberty, because it became the statue of my personal liberty."

32

"While I've had a great distaste for what's usually called song in modern poetry or for what's usually called music, I really don't think of speech as so far from song."

35

"I have spoken to expert audiences occasionally, but then no audience is expert over the whole range of things I want to explore."

41

"While I don't script and I don't use other performers, I think my taste for underlying precision gives me something in common with Allan and George Brecht."

33

"I had no idea where these kids at a small private college in the San Fernando Valley were coming from, why they were coming to hear me, or what they needed to know."

39

"A myth is the name of a terrible lie told by a smelly little brown person to a man in a white suit with a pair of binoculars."

30

"Children frequently sing meaningful phrases to themselves over and over again before they learn to make a distinction between singing and saying."

34

"Disney made a fortune out of inventing the businessman's idea of the imaginary as the contradictory of the businessman's idea of the real."

32

"For several centuries what has passed for song in literary circles was any text that looked like the lyrics for a commonplace melodic setting."

37

"From this entertainment industry, may the gods of language protect us."

32

"I reserve the right to tell shaggy dog stories or even common jokes as part of what I'm doing. I don't give a damn if half the audience walks out."

38

"I didn't think about whether I was writing poems. I was thinking. And the more I was thinking, the more there was I didn't understand."

48

"I'm standing up thinking. Anybody who wants to listen is welcome. If not, I'm happy to see them go."

40

"I hardly remember how I started to write poetry. It's hard to imagine what I thought poetry could do."

41

"I learned enough Hebrew to stagger through a meaningless ceremony that I scarcely remember."

41

"I wanted to be an inventor, whatever I thought that meant then. I guess I was thinking of Edison or maybe James Watt. Or maybe even Newton."

38

"I was trying to find out what it was that everybody else understood without giving up my stubborn and hard-won lack of understanding."

49

"I was very committed to the process of composing, working at poems, putting things together and taking them apart like some kind of experimental filmmaker."

42

"I'm aware of my audience in a way, and I do try to engage with them while I'm trying to go about my business of thinking. I believe they help me by providing a focus."

36

"I'm not sure what theory is, unless it's the pursuit of fundamental questions."

46

"I can manage a prose format as long as I keep closer to Laurence Sterne than to Henry James."

58

"The czar was always sending us commands - you shall not do this and you shall not do that - till there was very little left that we might do, except pay tribute and die."

48

"The czar always got his dues, no matter if it ruined a family."

42

"As we moved along in a little procession, I was delighted with the illumination of the streets. So many lamps, and they burned until morning, my father said, and so people did not need to carry lanterns."

37

"His struggle for a bare living left him no time to take advantage of the public evening school. In time he learned to read, to follow a conversation or lecture; but he never learned to write correctly; and his pronunciation remains extremely foreign to this day."

43

"If education, culture, the higher life were shining things to be worshiped from afar, he had still a means left whereby he could draw one step nearer to them."

50

"In the evening of the first day my father conducted us to the public baths."

35

"No, the czar did not want us in the schools."

41

"On a royal birthday every house must fly a flag, or the owner would be dragged to a police station and be fined twenty-five rubles."

47

"One positive command he gave us: You shall love and honor your emperor. In every congregation a prayer must be said for the czar's health, or the chief of police would close the synagogue."

48

"There was one public school for boys, and one for girls, but Jewish children were admitted in limited numbers - only ten to a hundred; and even the lucky ones had their troubles."

52

"The apex of my civic pride and personal contentment was reached on the bright September morning when I entered the public school."

43

"The first meal was an object lesson of much variety. My father produced several kinds of food, ready to eat, without any cooking, from little tin cans that had printing all over them."

34

"We are not born all at once, but by bits. The body first, and the spirit later; and the birth and growth of the spirit, in those who are attentive to their own inner life, are slow and exceedingly painful."

58

"You heard on all sides that the brightest Jewish children were turned down if the examining officers did not like the turn of their noses."

47

"You went up to be examined with the other Jewish children, your heart heavy about that matter of your nose."