Poetry Quotes | Beyond Motive 10/15

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Poetry Quotes

"Poetry should help, not only to refine the language of the time, but to prevent it from changing too rapidly."

"Poetry should help, not only to refine the language of the time, but to prevent it from changing too rapidly."

T. S. Eliot, American Poet

Poetry, Time, Help, Language

28

"Besides, a long poem is a test of invention, which I take to be the Polar star of Poetry, as Fancy is the sails - and Imagination the rudder."

"Besides, a long poem is a test of invention, which I take to be the Polar star of Poetry, as Fancy is the sails - and Imagination the rudder."

John Keats, English Poet

Poetry, Creation, Imagination, Art

28

"This proves that great lyric poetry can die, be reborn, die again, but will always remain one of the most outstanding creations of the human soul."

"This proves that great lyric poetry can die, be reborn, die again, but will always remain one of the most outstanding creations of the human soul."

Eugenio Montale, Italian Poet

Poetry, Soul, Will

28

"I've written for every medium except poetry, at which I suck."

"I've written for every medium except poetry, at which I suck."

J. Michael Straczynski, American Producer

28

"And how can poetry stand up against its new conditions? Its position is perfectly precarious."

"And how can poetry stand up against its new conditions? Its position is perfectly precarious."

John C. Ransom, American Poet

27

"There's not a good poet I know who has not at the beck and call of his memory a vast quantity of poetry that composes his mental library."

"There's not a good poet I know who has not at the beck and call of his memory a vast quantity of poetry that composes his mental library."

Anthony Hecht, American Poet

Poetry, Memory, Quantity

27

"Probably all the attention to poetry results in some value, though the attention is more often directed to lesser than to greater values."

"Probably all the attention to poetry results in some value, though the attention is more often directed to lesser than to greater values."

A. R. Ammons, American Poet

Poetry, Values, Attention, Results

27

"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

27

"In my late teenage years, I developed a real passion for it, and wrote a lot of poetry."

"In my late teenage years, I developed a real passion for it, and wrote a lot of poetry."

Danielle Steel, American Novelist

Poetry, Passion, Teenage, Years

27

"Poetry should be great and unobtrusive, a thing which enters into one's soul, and does not startle it or amaze it with itself, but with its subject."

"Poetry should be great and unobtrusive, a thing which enters into one's soul, and does not startle it or amaze it with itself, but with its subject."

John Keats, English Poet

27

"What are you staring at?'Rain drops on window glass is a sort of love - bite, is it not?"

"What are you staring at?'Rain drops on window glass is a sort of love - bite, is it not?"

Jasleen Kaur Gumber, Indian Writer

Poetry, Love, Nature, Symbolism, Emotion

27

"The poems are all wrong. It's a bang, a really big bang. Not a whimper. And sometimes gold can stay."

"The poems are all wrong. It's a bang, a really big bang. Not a whimper. And sometimes gold can stay."

Kami Garcia, American Writer

Poetry, Truth, Reality, Expression

27

"To hear the lark begin his flight And singing startle the dull night. From his watchtower in the skies Til the dappled dawn doth rise."

"To hear the lark begin his flight And singing startle the dull night. From his watchtower in the skies Til the dappled dawn doth rise."

John Milton, English Poet

Poetry, Nature, Observation, Time

27

"Theater is far superior to film in poetry, in abstract poetry."

"Theater is far superior to film in poetry, in abstract poetry."

Julie Taymor, American Director

Poetry, Film, Theater

26

"Concrete poets continue to turn out beautiful things, but to me they're more visual than oral, and they almost really belong on the wall rather than in a book. I haven't the least idea of where poetry is going."

"Concrete poets continue to turn out beautiful things, but to me they're more visual than oral, and they almost really belong on the wall rather than in a book. I haven't the least idea of where poetry is going."

James Laughlin, American Poet

Poetry, Idea, Poets

26

"For the poet the credo or doctrine is not the point of arrival but is, on the contrary, the point of departure for the metaphysical journey."

"For the poet the credo or doctrine is not the point of arrival but is, on the contrary, the point of departure for the metaphysical journey."

Joseph Brodsky, American Poet

Poetry, Departure, Doctrine, Journey

26

"And looks commercing with the skies,Thy rapt soul sitting in thine eyes."

"And looks commercing with the skies,Thy rapt soul sitting in thine eyes."

John Milton, English Poet

Poetry, Beauty, Vision, Soul

26

"Today the U.S. is farther from being nourished by poetry than it was a hundred years ago, when books of poems were best-sellers."

"Today the U.S. is farther from being nourished by poetry than it was a hundred years ago, when books of poems were best-sellers."

James Broughton, American Director

Poetry, Being, Books, Poems

26

"Religious poetry, civic poetry, lyric or dramatic poetry are all categories of man's expression which are valid only if the endorsement of formal content is valid."

"Religious poetry, civic poetry, lyric or dramatic poetry are all categories of man's expression which are valid only if the endorsement of formal content is valid."

Salvatore Quasimodo, Italian Author

Poetry, Content, Expression, Man

26

"That poetry survived in its formal agencies finally, and that prose survived to get something said."

"That poetry survived in its formal agencies finally, and that prose survived to get something said."

Robert Creeley, American Poet

26

"Thou hast no sorrow in thy song, no winter in thy year."

"Thou hast no sorrow in thy song, no winter in thy year."

John A. Logan, American Soldier

Poetry, Song, Sorrow, Winter

26

"Well, I had this little notion - I started writing when I was eleven, writing poetry. I was passionately addicted to it; it was my great refuge through adolescence."

"Well, I had this little notion - I started writing when I was eleven, writing poetry. I was passionately addicted to it; it was my great refuge through adolescence."

Harry Mathews, American Author

Poetry, Adolescence, Writing

26

"Bleak House is just the most astounding piece of work. There's huge, visionary poetry in it."

"Bleak House is just the most astounding piece of work. There's huge, visionary poetry in it."

Simon Callow, English Actor

26

"Go to the poets, they will speak to thee. More perfectly of purer creatures."

"Go to the poets, they will speak to thee. More perfectly of purer creatures."

William Wordsworth, English Poet

Poetry, Guidance, Inspirational, Wisdom

26

"Give me one more night to taste the darkWhen wolves imitate a lone dog's bark Let those secrets remain unspoken Fallen angel's heart now lover's token Light grows dim burying riddle's death Just breathe to free your one last breath."

"Give me one more night to taste the darkWhen wolves imitate a lone dog's bark Let those secrets remain unspoken Fallen angel's heart now lover's token Light grows dim burying riddle's death Just breathe to free your one last breath."

Munia Khan, Bangladeshi Poet

Poetry, Mystery, Darkness, Secrets, Love

26

"Eloquence is the poetry of prose."

"Eloquence is the poetry of prose."

William C. Bryant, American Poet

Poetry, Eloquence, Prose

26

"And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun/ And she forgot the blue above the trees,/ And she forgot the dells where waters run,/ And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze;/ She had no knowledge when the day was done,/ And the new morn she saw not: but in peace/ Hung over her sweet basil evermore,/ And moisten'd it with tears unto the core."

"And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun/ And she forgot the blue above the trees,/ And she forgot the dells where waters run,/ And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze;/ She had no knowledge when the day was done,/ And the new morn she saw not: but in peace/ Hung over her sweet basil evermore,/ And moisten'd it with tears unto the core."

John Keats, English Poet

Poetry, Expressive, Nature, Reflection, Peace

26

"Poetry is like making a joke. If you get one word wrong at the end of a joke, you've lost the whole thing."

"Poetry is like making a joke. If you get one word wrong at the end of a joke, you've lost the whole thing."

W. S. Merwin, American Poet

Poetry, End, Word, Wrong

25

"In the world of poetry there are would-be poets, workshop poets, promising poets, lovesick poets, university poets, and a few real poets."

"In the world of poetry there are would-be poets, workshop poets, promising poets, lovesick poets, university poets, and a few real poets."

James Broughton, American Director

Poetry, Poets, University, World

25

"Poetry is a succession of questions which the poet constantly poses."

"Poetry is a succession of questions which the poet constantly poses."

Vicente Aleixandre, Spanish Poet

Poetry, Questions

25

"Theater and poetry were what helped people stay alive and want to go on living."

"Theater and poetry were what helped people stay alive and want to go on living."

Vanessa Redgrave, English Actress

Poetry, People, Living, Theater

25

"True poetry is similar to certain pictures whose owner is unknown and which only a few initiated people know."

"True poetry is similar to certain pictures whose owner is unknown and which only a few initiated people know."

Eugenio Montale, Italian Poet

25

"There is poetry even in prose, in all the great prose which is not merely utilitarian or didactic: there exist poets who write in prose or at least in more or less apparent prose; millions of poets write verses which have no connection with poetry."

"There is poetry even in prose, in all the great prose which is not merely utilitarian or didactic: there exist poets who write in prose or at least in more or less apparent prose; millions of poets write verses which have no connection with poetry."

Eugenio Montale, Italian Poet

Poetry, Connection, Poets, Prose

25

"Poetry is meant to be heard."

"Poetry is meant to be heard."

Mary Oliver, American Poet

Poetry, Truth, Expression, Art

25

"My soul is wrapped in harsh repose,Midnight descends in raven-colored clothes,But soft... behold!A sunlight beamButting a swath of glimmering gleam.My heart expands,'tis grown a bulge in it,Inspired by your beauty...Effulgent."

"My soul is wrapped in harsh repose,Midnight descends in raven-colored clothes,But soft... behold!A sunlight beamButting a swath of glimmering gleam.My heart expands,'tis grown a bulge in it,Inspired by your beauty...Effulgent."

Joss Whedon, American Writer

Poetry, Soul, Beauty, Inspirational

25

"She lit my soul and inhaled deeplyFlicking my ashes occasionally."

"She lit my soul and inhaled deeplyFlicking my ashes occasionally."

Henry Rollins, American Musician

Poetry, Soul, Inspirational, Emotion, Light

25

"For me, prose walks, poetry dances."

"For me, prose walks, poetry dances."

James Broughton, American Director

25

"I have been bent and broken, but - I hope - into a better shape."

"I have been bent and broken, but - I hope - into a better shape."

Kami Garcia, American Writer

Poetry, Resilience, Healing, Strength, Transformation

25

"Lastly, his tomb shall list and founder in the troughs of grass. And none shall speak his name."

"Lastly, his tomb shall list and founder in the troughs of grass. And none shall speak his name."

Karl Shapiro, American Poet

24

"To feel most beautifully alive means to be reading something beautiful, ready always to apprehend in the flow of language the sudden flash of poetry."

"To feel most beautifully alive means to be reading something beautiful, ready always to apprehend in the flow of language the sudden flash of poetry."

John Andrew Holmes, American Author

Poetry, Language, Reading

24

"Poetry for me is as much a spiritual practice as sexual ecstasy is."

"Poetry for me is as much a spiritual practice as sexual ecstasy is."

James Broughton, American Director

Poetry, Ecstasy, Practice, Spiritual

24

"All good poetry is forged slowly and patiently, link by link, with sweat and blood and tears."

"All good poetry is forged slowly and patiently, link by link, with sweat and blood and tears."

Alfred Douglas, English Poet

Poetry, Blood, Tears

24

"As for political poetry, as it's usually defined, it seems there's very little good political poetry."

"As for political poetry, as it's usually defined, it seems there's very little good political poetry."

Kenneth Koch, American Poet

24

"My next project is to get back to that. Actually, to learn how to write poetry. I'm not kidding."

"My next project is to get back to that. Actually, to learn how to write poetry. I'm not kidding."

Harry Mathews, American Author

Poetry, Project

24

"A book is sent out into the world, and there is no way of fully anticipating the responses it will elicit. Consider the responses called forth by the Bible, Homer, Shakespeare - let alone contemporary poetry or a modern novel."

"A book is sent out into the world, and there is no way of fully anticipating the responses it will elicit. Consider the responses called forth by the Bible, Homer, Shakespeare - let alone contemporary poetry or a modern novel."

Chaim Potok, American Author

Poetry, Bible, Shakespeare, Will

24

"Often I find that poems predict what I'm going to do later in my own writing, and often I find that poems predict my life. So I think poetry is the most intense expression of feeling that we have."

"Often I find that poems predict what I'm going to do later in my own writing, and often I find that poems predict my life. So I think poetry is the most intense expression of feeling that we have."

Erica Jong, American Novelist

Poetry, Prediction, Feeling, Expression

24

"Perhaps no person can be a poet, or even enjoy poetry, without a certain unsoundness of mind."

"Perhaps no person can be a poet, or even enjoy poetry, without a certain unsoundness of mind."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

24

"The poetry of a people comes from the deep recesses of the unconscious, the irrational and the collective body of our ancestral memories."

"The poetry of a people comes from the deep recesses of the unconscious, the irrational and the collective body of our ancestral memories."

Margaret Walker, American Poet

Poetry, People, Body, Deep

24

"A very intimate sense of the expressiveness of outward things, which ponders, listens, penetrates, where the earlier, less developed consciousness passed lightly by, is an important element in the general temper of our modern poetry."

"A very intimate sense of the expressiveness of outward things, which ponders, listens, penetrates, where the earlier, less developed consciousness passed lightly by, is an important element in the general temper of our modern poetry."

Walter Pater, English Critic

Poetry, Consciousness, Sense, Temper

23

"There stands the shadow of a glorious name."

"There stands the shadow of a glorious name."

Lucan, Roman Poet

Poetry, Name, Shadow

23

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