Poetry Quotes | Beyond Motive 11/15

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Poetry Quotes

"Poetry is a sword of lightning, ever unsheathed, which consumes the scabbard that would contain it."

"Poetry is a sword of lightning, ever unsheathed, which consumes the scabbard that would contain it."

Percy Bysshe Shelley, English Poet

23

"I began the way nearly everybody I ever heard of - I began writing poetry. And I find that to be quite usual with writers, their trying their hand at poetry."

"I began the way nearly everybody I ever heard of - I began writing poetry. And I find that to be quite usual with writers, their trying their hand at poetry."

Shelby Foote, American Author

Poetry, Trying, Writers, Writing

23

"So I suppose poetry, language, the shaping of it, was and remains for me an effort to make sense out of essentially senseless situations."

"So I suppose poetry, language, the shaping of it, was and remains for me an effort to make sense out of essentially senseless situations."

Thomas Lynch, American Politician

Poetry, Effort, Language, Sense

23

"The more poetry you have in the head, the more poetry you will understand because you will be getting to the roots of what it is that makes people write poetry at all."

"The more poetry you have in the head, the more poetry you will understand because you will be getting to the roots of what it is that makes people write poetry at all."

Peter Davison, British Actor

Poetry, People, Will

23

"True beauty is a rayThat springs from the sacred depths of the soul,and illuminates the body, just as lifesprings from the kernel of a stone andgives colour and scent to a flower."

"True beauty is a rayThat springs from the sacred depths of the soul,and illuminates the body, just as lifesprings from the kernel of a stone andgives colour and scent to a flower."

Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese Philosopher

Poetry, Truth, Happiness, Beauty, Freedom

23

"When one verse in life ends in ignominy, we can use the glimmering marvel of nature's splendor and frayed edges culled from the black linen of past failures to write uncanny poems that give voice to the fissures in our hollow, reflective poetry that echoes our supple inner world of cherished dreams colliding with the serrated edges of savage realism."

"When one verse in life ends in ignominy, we can use the glimmering marvel of nature's splendor and frayed edges culled from the black linen of past failures to write uncanny poems that give voice to the fissures in our hollow, reflective poetry that echoes our supple inner world of cherished dreams colliding with the serrated edges of savage realism."

Kilroy J. Oldster, American Author

Poetry, Nature, Failure, Dream

23

"I wrote The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God in five hours, but I had it all planned out. It isn't poetry and it does not pretend to be, but it does what it sets out to do."

"I wrote The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God in five hours, but I had it all planned out. It isn't poetry and it does not pretend to be, but it does what it sets out to do."

J. Milton Hayes, English Actor

Poetry, God, Eye

23

"Poetry transforms and redeems the common, the hurtful, the humiliating."

"Poetry transforms and redeems the common, the hurtful, the humiliating."

Susan Montez, American Writer

23

"In my opinion, the most significant works of the twentieth century are those that rise beyond the conceptual tyranny of genre; they are, at the same time, poetry, criticism, narrative, drama, etc."

"In my opinion, the most significant works of the twentieth century are those that rise beyond the conceptual tyranny of genre; they are, at the same time, poetry, criticism, narrative, drama, etc."

Juan Goytisolo, Spanish Poet

Poetry, Time, Criticism, Drama

23

"Poetry is a matter of life, not just a matter of language."

"Poetry is a matter of life, not just a matter of language."

Lucille Clifton, American Poet

Poetry, Life, Language

22

"Poetry is of so subtle a spirit, that in the pouring out of one language into another it will evaporate."

"Poetry is of so subtle a spirit, that in the pouring out of one language into another it will evaporate."

John Denham, British Politician

Poetry, Language, Spirit, Will

22

"I think poetry has lost an awful lot of its muscle because nobody knows any. Nobody has to memorize poetry."

"I think poetry has lost an awful lot of its muscle because nobody knows any. Nobody has to memorize poetry."

Peter Davison, British Actor

22

"Love is a word, another kind of open.As the diamond comesinto a knot of flameI am Blackbecause I come from the earth's insidetake my word for jewelin the open light."

"Love is a word, another kind of open.As the diamond comesinto a knot of flameI am Blackbecause I come from the earth's insidetake my word for jewelin the open light."

Audre Lorde, American Poet

Poetry, Love, Identity, Expression

22

"She lives the poetry she cannot write."

"She lives the poetry she cannot write."

Oscar Wilde, Irish Dramatist

Poetry, Life, Expression, Art

21

"And it was at that age ... Poetry arrived in search of me. I don't know, I don't know where it came from, from winter or a river. I don't know how or when, no they were not voices, they were not words, nor silence, but from a street I was summoned, from the branches of night, abruptly from the others, among violent fires or returning alone, there I was without a face and it touched me."

"And it was at that age ... Poetry arrived in search of me. I don't know, I don't know where it came from, from winter or a river. I don't know how or when, no they were not voices, they were not words, nor silence, but from a street I was summoned, from the branches of night, abruptly from the others, among violent fires or returning alone, there I was without a face and it touched me."

Pablo Neruda, Chilean Writer

Poetry, Inspirational, Creativity, Life

21

"People wish to be poets more than they wish to write poetry, and that's a mistake. One should wish to celebrate more than one wishes to be celebrated."

"People wish to be poets more than they wish to write poetry, and that's a mistake. One should wish to celebrate more than one wishes to be celebrated."

Lucille Clifton, American Poet

Poetry, Mistake, People, Poets

21

"Let me read you some of my poetry. My poetry just takes me to another level."

"Let me read you some of my poetry. My poetry just takes me to another level."

Rick Fox, Canadian Actor

21

"For a poet to depict a poet in poetry is a hazardous experiment; in regarding one's own trade a sense of humour and a little wholesome cynicism are not amiss."

"For a poet to depict a poet in poetry is a hazardous experiment; in regarding one's own trade a sense of humour and a little wholesome cynicism are not amiss."

Edward Dowden, Irish Critic

Poetry, Cynicism, Sense, Trade

20

"My mother asked me what I wanted for my birthday, so I said I wanted to read poetry with her."

"My mother asked me what I wanted for my birthday, so I said I wanted to read poetry with her."

Guy Johnson, American Poet

Poetry, Birthday, Mother

20

"Poet. To mask the fiery thought, in simple words succeeds. For still the craft of genius is, To mask a king in weeds."

"Poet. To mask the fiery thought, in simple words succeeds. For still the craft of genius is, To mask a king in weeds."

Ralph Waldo Emerson, American Poet

Poetry, Thought, Words, Genius

20

"Poetry teaches us music, metaphor, condensation and specificity."

"Poetry teaches us music, metaphor, condensation and specificity."

Walter Mosley, American Novelist

Poetry, Music, Metaphor

20

"I didn't want to deal in poetry. I got rid of that after a few months."

"I didn't want to deal in poetry. I got rid of that after a few months."

Tom Wesselmann, American Artist

Poetry, Months, Want

20

"I used to write sonnets and various things, and moved from there into writing prose, which, incidentally, is a lot more interesting than poetry, including the rhythms of prose."

"I used to write sonnets and various things, and moved from there into writing prose, which, incidentally, is a lot more interesting than poetry, including the rhythms of prose."

Shelby Foote, American Author

Poetry, Prose, Writing

19

"A broad and ample road, whose dust is gold,And pavement stars-as starts to thee appearSoon in the galaxy, that milky wayWhich mightly as a circling zone thou seestPowder'd wiht stars."

"A broad and ample road, whose dust is gold,And pavement stars-as starts to thee appearSoon in the galaxy, that milky wayWhich mightly as a circling zone thou seestPowder'd wiht stars."

John Milton, English Poet

Poetry, Cosmos, Stars, Wonder

19

"And the heart sounds like a sour conch,calls, oh sea, oh lament, oh molten panic,scattered in the unlucky and disheveled waves:the sea reports sonorouslyon its languid shadows, its green poppies."

"And the heart sounds like a sour conch,calls, oh sea, oh lament, oh molten panic,scattered in the unlucky and disheveled waves:the sea reports sonorouslyon its languid shadows, its green poppies."

Pablo Neruda, Chilean Writer

Poetry, Sea, Emotion, Sound

19

"Poetry should... should strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts, and appear almost a remembrance."

"Poetry should... should strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts, and appear almost a remembrance."

John Keats, English Poet

Poetry, Thoughts, Remembrance

19

"Falling from the sky like the rain, And I fly and sing like the little birds..., Movements that are not in vain, Everything has a life made of words."

"Falling from the sky like the rain, And I fly and sing like the little birds..., Movements that are not in vain, Everything has a life made of words."

Ana Claudia Antunes, Brazilian Singer

Poetry, Nature, Flight, Life, Movement

19

"All poetry has to do is to make a strong communication. All the poet has to do is listen. The poet is not an important fellow. There will also be another poet."

"All poetry has to do is to make a strong communication. All the poet has to do is listen. The poet is not an important fellow. There will also be another poet."

Stevie Smith, British Poet

Poetry, Communication, Will

19

"Women who are inclined to write poetry at all are inspired by being mad at something."

"Women who are inclined to write poetry at all are inspired by being mad at something."

Amy Clampitt, American Poet

Poetry, Women, Being

19

"I wish our clever young poets would remember my homely definitions of prose and poetry; that is, prose = words in their best order; - poetry = the best words in the best order."

"I wish our clever young poets would remember my homely definitions of prose and poetry; that is, prose = words in their best order; - poetry = the best words in the best order."

Samuel Taylor Coleridge, English Poet

Poetry, Order, Poets, Prose

18

"Poetry should surprise by a fine excess and not by singularity, it should strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts, and appear almost a remembrance."

"Poetry should surprise by a fine excess and not by singularity, it should strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts, and appear almost a remembrance."

John Keats, English Poet

Poetry, Thoughts, Excess, Remembrance

18

"My life is like an autumn leafI lie around unclaimed.The breeze blows me around,To be trampled under the feet of men.Natures cruel feast has bestowed me with pain,Pain of being a part,Just a part of someone.Pain of departing,Departing from that one.Pick me up like a rose,And hold me to your heart.Keep me there till he does not come.And when he comes do a good deed,Dig the earth below,And bury me deepFor I don't want to lie around,Unclaimed, unloved."

"My life is like an autumn leafI lie around unclaimed.The breeze blows me around,To be trampled under the feet of men.Natures cruel feast has bestowed me with pain,Pain of being a part,Just a part of someone.Pain of departing,Departing from that one.Pick me up like a rose,And hold me to your heart.Keep me there till he does not come.And when he comes do a good deed,Dig the earth below,And bury me deepFor I don't want to lie around,Unclaimed, unloved."

Amit Abraham, Indian Motivational Speaker

Poetry, Sadness, Existence, Pain, Love

18

"Settle your perfect hips here and the bow of wet arrowsloosens into the night the petals that form your formlet your clay limbs climb the silence and its pale ladderrung by rung taking off with me in my dream.I can sense you scaling the shade tree that sings to the shadows.Dark is the world's night without you my love."

"Settle your perfect hips here and the bow of wet arrowsloosens into the night the petals that form your formlet your clay limbs climb the silence and its pale ladderrung by rung taking off with me in my dream.I can sense you scaling the shade tree that sings to the shadows.Dark is the world's night without you my love."

Pablo Neruda, Chilean Writer

Poetry, Love, Imagery, Desire

18

"I don't think Auden liked my poetry very much, he's very Anglican."

"I don't think Auden liked my poetry very much, he's very Anglican."

Stevie Smith, British Poet

18

"Our most famous writers are Faulkner and Eudora Welty and Flannery O'Connor. It would make sense that the poetry would reflect some of those same values, some of the same techniques."

"Our most famous writers are Faulkner and Eudora Welty and Flannery O'Connor. It would make sense that the poetry would reflect some of those same values, some of the same techniques."

Robert Morgan, American Soldier

Poetry, Values, Famous, Sense

17

"Some Marines made fun of the fact that I had done plays and studied poetry, but then I won the award for physical training."

"Some Marines made fun of the fact that I had done plays and studied poetry, but then I won the award for physical training."

David Hunt, English Politician

Poetry, Fact, Fun, Marines

17

"Her touch is like doing simple mathWhen she sleeps in the bed, subtracting clothesThere is a red ink, like a sparkling red wine, adding colorsDividing body, remembering gods, without multiplying."

"Her touch is like doing simple mathWhen she sleeps in the bed, subtracting clothesThere is a red ink, like a sparkling red wine, adding colorsDividing body, remembering gods, without multiplying."

Santosh Kalwar, Nepalese Poet

Poetry, Metaphor, Body, Memory, Spirit

17

"While the hollow oak our palace is, Our heritage the sea."

"While the hollow oak our palace is, Our heritage the sea."

Allan Cunningham, Scottish Poet

Poetry, Oak, Sea

17

"This is the nature of love." Vashet said. "To attempt to describe it will drive a woman mad. This is what keeps poets scribbling endlessly away. If one could pin it to paper all complete, the others would lay down their pens. But it cannot be done."

"This is the nature of love." Vashet said. "To attempt to describe it will drive a woman mad. This is what keeps poets scribbling endlessly away. If one could pin it to paper all complete, the others would lay down their pens. But it cannot be done."

Patrick Rothfuss, Australian Athlete

Poetry, Love, Description, Madness

17

"Poetry operates by hints and dark suggestions. It is full of secrets and hidden formulae, like a witch's brew."

"Poetry operates by hints and dark suggestions. It is full of secrets and hidden formulae, like a witch's brew."

Anthony Hecht, American Poet

Poetry, Secrets

17

"Write verse, not poetry. The public wants verse. If you have a talent for poetry, then don't by any means mother it, but try your hand at verse."

"Write verse, not poetry. The public wants verse. If you have a talent for poetry, then don't by any means mother it, but try your hand at verse."

Robert W. Service, Scottish Poet

Poetry, Mother, Talent, Public

17

"Nobody, I think, ought to read poetry, or look at pictures or statues, who cannot find a great deal more in them than the poet or artist has actually expressed. Their highest merit is suggestiveness."

"Nobody, I think, ought to read poetry, or look at pictures or statues, who cannot find a great deal more in them than the poet or artist has actually expressed. Their highest merit is suggestiveness."

Nathaniel Hawthorne, American Novelist

Poetry, Artist, Merit

17

"I write poetry in order to live more fully."

"I write poetry in order to live more fully."

Judith Rodriguez, American Poet

17

"I could no more define poetry than a terrier can define a rat."

"I could no more define poetry than a terrier can define a rat."

Alfred Edward Housman, English Poet

17

"Mais, vrai, J'ai trop pleure! Les aubes sont navrantes. What a sad and beautiful line that is. I'd always hoped that someday I'd be able to use it."

"Mais, vrai, J'ai trop pleure! Les aubes sont navrantes. What a sad and beautiful line that is. I'd always hoped that someday I'd be able to use it."

Donna Tartt, American Novelist

Poetry, Language, Beauty, Emotion, Expression

17

"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words."

"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words."

Robert Frost, American Poet

Poetry, Thought, Emotion, Words

17

"John Keats / John Keats / John / Please put your scarf on."

"John Keats / John Keats / John / Please put your scarf on."

J.D. Salinger, American Politician

Poetry, Humor, Absurdity, Affection

17

"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary."

"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary."

Edgar Allan Poe, American Poet

Poetry, Midnight

17

"There is no Frigate like a book to take us lands away nor any coursers like a page of prancing Poetry."

"There is no Frigate like a book to take us lands away nor any coursers like a page of prancing Poetry."

Emily Dickinson, American Poet

17

"Amory took to writing poetry on spring afternoons, in the gardens of the big estates near Princeton, while swans made effective atmosphere in the artificial pools, and slow clouds sailed harmoniously above the willow. May came too soon, and suddenly unable to bear walls, he wandered the campus at all hours through starlight and rain."

"Amory took to writing poetry on spring afternoons, in the gardens of the big estates near Princeton, while swans made effective atmosphere in the artificial pools, and slow clouds sailed harmoniously above the willow. May came too soon, and suddenly unable to bear walls, he wandered the campus at all hours through starlight and rain."

F. Scott Fitzgerald, American Author

Poetry, Writing, Nature, Beauty, Art

17

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