Poetry Quotes | Beyond Motive

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Poetry Quotes

"Poetry is the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds."

"Poetry is the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds."

Percy Bysshe Shelley, English Poet

Poetry, Moments

412

"Poetry is a sort of homecoming."

"Poetry is a sort of homecoming."

Paul Celan, Romanian Poet

160

"All one's inventions are true, you can be sure of that. Poetry is as exact a science as geometry."

"All one's inventions are true, you can be sure of that. Poetry is as exact a science as geometry."

Gustave Flaubert, French Novelist

Poetry, Science, Geometry, Inventions

152

"When truth has no burning, then it is philosophy, when it gets burning from the heart, it becomes poetry."

"When truth has no burning, then it is philosophy, when it gets burning from the heart, it becomes poetry."

Muhammad Iqbal, Pakistani Poet

Poetry, Truth, Heart, Philosophy

130

"What is poetry which does not save nations or people?"

"What is poetry which does not save nations or people?"

Czeslaw Milosz, Polish Poet

Poetry, People, Nations

126

"A grain of poetry suffices to season a century."

"A grain of poetry suffices to season a century."

Jose Marti, Cuban Activist

109

"Art: If the object of poetry is, to make men, then poetry is the heir of prophecy."

"Art: If the object of poetry is, to make men, then poetry is the heir of prophecy."

Muhammad Iqbal, Pakistani Poet

Poetry, Men, Heir, Prophecy

104

"Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary."

"Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary."

Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese Philosopher

Poetry, Joy, Pain, Wonder

101

Ennui
Tea-leaves thwart those who court catastrophe,
Designing futures where nothing will occur.
Cross the gypsy’s palm and yawning she
Will still predict no perils left to conquer.

Jeopardy is jejune now: the naïve knight
Finds ogres out-of-date and dragons unheard-of,
While blasé princesses indict
Tilts at terror as downright absurd.

The beast in Jamesian grove will never jump,
Compelling hero’s dull career to crisis;
And when insouciant angels play God’s trump,
While bored arena crowds for once look eager,
Hoping toward havoc, neither pleas nor prices
Shall coax from doom’s blank door lady or tiger.

Ennui
Tea-leaves thwart those who court catastrophe,
Designing futures where nothing will occur.
Cross the gypsy’s palm and yawning she
Will still predict no perils left to conquer.

Jeopardy is jejune now: the naïve knight
Finds ogres out-of-date and dragons unheard-of,
While blasé princesses indict
Tilts at terror as downright absurd.

The beast in Jamesian grove will never jump,
Compelling hero’s dull career to crisis;
And when insouciant angels play God’s trump,
While bored arena crowds for once look eager,
Hoping toward havoc, neither pleas nor prices
Shall coax from doom’s blank door lady or tiger.

Sylvia Plath, American Poet

Poetry, Boredom, Fantasy, Adventure

86

"In fact a lot of them I think are absolute baloney. Those Charles Olsens and people like that. At first I was interested in seeing what they were up to, what they were doing, why they were doing it. They never moved me in the way that one is moved by true poetry."

"In fact a lot of them I think are absolute baloney. Those Charles Olsens and people like that. At first I was interested in seeing what they were up to, what they were doing, why they were doing it. They never moved me in the way that one is moved by true poetry."

Norman MacCaig, Scottish Poet

Poetry, People, Fact, First

78

"It is the best of all trades, to make songs, and the second best to sing them."

"It is the best of all trades, to make songs, and the second best to sing them."

Hilaire Belloc, English Poet

73

"Poetry and prayer are very similar."

"Poetry and prayer are very similar."

Carol Ann Duffy, British Poet

72

"The moon seems unawareof night's dark hittingon the damp warm rain misguiding owl's spitting A thunder light of loveraising hearts beatingwhile weather learns morefrom rain lovers meeting."

"The moon seems unawareof night's dark hittingon the damp warm rain misguiding owl's spitting A thunder light of loveraising hearts beatingwhile weather learns morefrom rain lovers meeting."

Munia Khan, Bangladeshi Poet

Poetry, Nature, Romance, Mystery, Emotion

72

"I've already written 300 space poems. But I look upon my ultimate form as being a poetic prose. When you read it, it appears to be prose, but within the prose you have embedded the techniques of poetry."

"I've already written 300 space poems. But I look upon my ultimate form as being a poetic prose. When you read it, it appears to be prose, but within the prose you have embedded the techniques of poetry."

Story Musgrave, American Astronaut

Poetry, Being, Poems, Prose

71

"We make out of the quarrel with others, rhetoric, but of the quarrel with ourselves, poetry."

"We make out of the quarrel with others, rhetoric, but of the quarrel with ourselves, poetry."

William Butler Yeats, Irish Poet

Poetry, Quarrel, Rhetoric

70

"The Tao Te Ching is partly in prose, partly in verse; but as we define poetry now, not by rhyme and meter but as a patterned intensity of language, the whole thing is poetry. I wanted to catch that poetry, its terse, strange beauty. Most translations have caught meanings in their net, but prosily, letting the beauty slip through. And in poetry, beauty is no ornament; it is the meaning. It is the truth. We have that on good authority."

"The Tao Te Ching is partly in prose, partly in verse; but as we define poetry now, not by rhyme and meter but as a patterned intensity of language, the whole thing is poetry. I wanted to catch that poetry, its terse, strange beauty. Most translations have caught meanings in their net, but prosily, letting the beauty slip through. And in poetry, beauty is no ornament; it is the meaning. It is the truth. We have that on good authority."

Ursula K. Le Guin, American Writer

Poetry, Beauty, Meaning, Language

70

"I want people to bow as they see me and say he is gifted with poetry, he has seen the presence of the creator."

"I want people to bow as they see me and say he is gifted with poetry, he has seen the presence of the creator."

Allen Ginsberg, American Poet

Poetry, People, Want

67

"Written poetry is worth reading once, and then should be destroyed. Let the dead poets make way for others."

"Written poetry is worth reading once, and then should be destroyed. Let the dead poets make way for others."

Antonin Artaud, French Dramatist

Poetry, Poets, Reading, Worth

67

"Poetry, I feel, is a tyrannical discipline. You've got to go so far so fast in such a small space; you've got to burn away all the peripherals."

"Poetry, I feel, is a tyrannical discipline. You've got to go so far so fast in such a small space; you've got to burn away all the peripherals."

Sylvia Plath, American Poet

Poetry, Discipline, Creativity, Expression

65

"I grew up in this town, my poetry was born between the hill and the river, it took its voice from the rain, and like the timber, it steeped itself in the forests."

"I grew up in this town, my poetry was born between the hill and the river, it took its voice from the rain, and like the timber, it steeped itself in the forests."

Pablo Neruda, Chilean Writer

Poetry, Rain, Voice

64

"If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry."

"If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry."

Emily Dickinson, American Poet

63

"I've written you sixty-seven love poems.Here's another one for you.But really, for me.These poems are the candles that I light with the fire you have ignited in me.I place this candle here and another thereso even if the stars have argued with the moonand are sulking away in a corner, you can still find your way to me.Sixty-eight poems now. What does the future hold for us?Joy? Disappointment? Gentle caresses? And subtle neglect?I hope the good is more than the bad. Much more. For what is the point of loveif by lighting these candlesour own flame loses its brightness?I know the good is more than the bad. Much more.I cannot wait to write you sixty-nine."

"I've written you sixty-seven love poems.Here's another one for you.But really, for me.These poems are the candles that I light with the fire you have ignited in me.I place this candle here and another thereso even if the stars have argued with the moonand are sulking away in a corner, you can still find your way to me.Sixty-eight poems now. What does the future hold for us?Joy? Disappointment? Gentle caresses? And subtle neglect?I hope the good is more than the bad. Much more. For what is the point of loveif by lighting these candlesour own flame loses its brightness?I know the good is more than the bad. Much more.I cannot wait to write you sixty-nine."

Kamand Kojouri, Iranian Poet

Poetry, Love, Hope, Future

63

"Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo."

"Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo."

Don Marquis, American Poet

Poetry, Echo, Waiting, Writing

61

"Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood."

"Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood."

T. S. Eliot, American Poet

61

"I want to branch out. I want to write. I write poetry. I want to see my children grow up well."

"I want to branch out. I want to write. I write poetry. I want to see my children grow up well."

Annie Lennox, Scottish Musician

Poetry, Children, Want

60

"A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom."

"A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom."

Robert Frost, American Poet

Poetry, Wisdom, Delight

59

"Night Triumphant- and the Stars Eternal."

"Night Triumphant- and the Stars Eternal."

Sarah J. Maas, American Novelist

Poetry, Night, Eternity, Stars

58

"Poetry is a political act because it involves telling the truth."

"Poetry is a political act because it involves telling the truth."

June Jordan, American Writer

Poetry, Truth, Act

56

"Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn."

"Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn."

Thomas Gray, English Poet

Poetry, Thoughts, Words

56

"Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits."

"Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits."

Carl Sandburg, American Poet

56

"Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality. But, of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to want to escape from these things."

"Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality. But, of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to want to escape from these things."

T. S. Eliot, American Poet

Poetry, Emotion, Emotions, Expression

56

"And the second question, can poetry be taught? I didn't think so."

"And the second question, can poetry be taught? I didn't think so."

Norman MacCaig, Scottish Poet

Poetry, Question

55

"Poetry is something that happens in universities, in creative writing programs or in English departments."

"Poetry is something that happens in universities, in creative writing programs or in English departments."

Mark Strand, American Poet

Poetry, English, Writing

55

"So, poetry becomes a means for useful dialogue between people who are not only unknown, but mute to each other. It produces a dialogue among people that guards all of us against manipulation by our so-called leaders."

"So, poetry becomes a means for useful dialogue between people who are not only unknown, but mute to each other. It produces a dialogue among people that guards all of us against manipulation by our so-called leaders."

June Jordan, American Writer

Poetry, People, Leaders, Manipulation

54

"Poetry is a mirror which makes beautiful that which is distorted."

"Poetry is a mirror which makes beautiful that which is distorted."

Percy Bysshe Shelley, English Poet

54

"As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky. So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too."

"As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky. So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too."

Clement Clarke Moore, American Writer

53

"I have nothing to say, I am saying it, and that is poetry."

"I have nothing to say, I am saying it, and that is poetry."

John Cage, American Composer

Poetry, Nothing, Saying

53

"While the scientist sees everything that happens in one point of space, the poet feels everything that happens in one point of time."

"While the scientist sees everything that happens in one point of space, the poet feels everything that happens in one point of time."

Vladimir Nabokov, American Novelist

Poetry, Time, Emotion, Soul

53

"I don't think the creative writing industry has helped American poetry."

"I don't think the creative writing industry has helped American poetry."

Robert Morgan, American Soldier

Poetry, Writing

53

"Serious poetry deals with the fundamental conflicts that cannot be logically resolved: we can state the conflicts rationally, but reason does not relieve us of them."

"Serious poetry deals with the fundamental conflicts that cannot be logically resolved: we can state the conflicts rationally, but reason does not relieve us of them."

Allen Tate, American Poet

Poetry, Deals, Reason, State

52

"My subject is War, and the pity of War. The Poetry is in the pity."

"My subject is War, and the pity of War. The Poetry is in the pity."

Wilfred Owen, English Soldier

Poetry, War, Pity

51

"Well, if this is poetry, I'm certainly never going to write any myself."

"Well, if this is poetry, I'm certainly never going to write any myself."

James Schuyler, American Poet

51

"Poetry is the mother-tongue of the human race."

"Poetry is the mother-tongue of the human race."

Johann G. Hamann, German Philosopher

Poetry, Mother, Race

51

"Deep feeling doesn't make for good poetry. A way with language would be a bit of help."

"Deep feeling doesn't make for good poetry. A way with language would be a bit of help."

Thom Gunn, British Poet

Poetry, Deep, Feeling, Help

50

"Poetry is all nouns and verbs."

"Poetry is all nouns and verbs."

Marianne Moore, American Poet

50

"There is something about poetry beyond prose logic, there is mystery in it, not to be explained but admired."

"There is something about poetry beyond prose logic, there is mystery in it, not to be explained but admired."

Edward Young, English Poet

Poetry, Logic, Mystery, Prose

50

"Poetry: the best words in the best order."

"Poetry: the best words in the best order."

Samuel Taylor Coleridge, English Poet

Poetry, Order, Words

49

"When it comes to atoms, language can be used only as in poetry. The poet, too, is not nearly so concerned with describing facts as with creating images."

"When it comes to atoms, language can be used only as in poetry. The poet, too, is not nearly so concerned with describing facts as with creating images."

Niels Bohr, Danish Physicist

Poetry, Atoms, Facts, Language

48

"From the reader's view, a poem is more demanding than prose."

"From the reader's view, a poem is more demanding than prose."

Mark Strand, American Poet

48

"The irony is, going to work every day became the subject of probably my best poetry."

"The irony is, going to work every day became the subject of probably my best poetry."

Philip Levine, American Poet

Poetry, Work, Day, Irony

48

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