Poetry Quotes | Beyond Motive 3/14

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Poetry Quotes

"Rap is rhythm and poetry. Hip-hop is storytelling and poetry as well."

"Rap is rhythm and poetry. Hip-hop is storytelling and poetry as well."

Ajay Naidu, American Actor

9

"Nothing truly convincing - which would possess thoroughness, vigor, and skill - has been written against the ancients as yet; especially not against their poetry."

"Nothing truly convincing - which would possess thoroughness, vigor, and skill - has been written against the ancients as yet; especially not against their poetry."

Karl Schlegel, German Philosopher

Poetry, Nothing, Skill

9

"How does one happen to write a poem: where does it come from? That is the question asked by the psychologists or the geneticists of poetry."

"How does one happen to write a poem: where does it come from? That is the question asked by the psychologists or the geneticists of poetry."

Allen Tate, American Poet

Poetry, Question

9

"Most people ignore most poetry because most poetry ignores most people."

"Most people ignore most poetry because most poetry ignores most people."

Adrian Mitchell, British Poet

9

"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

9

"Those who have never entered upon scientific pursuits know not a tithe of the poetry by which they are surrounded."

"Those who have never entered upon scientific pursuits know not a tithe of the poetry by which they are surrounded."

Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher

9

"Poetry is truth in its Sunday clothes."

"Poetry is truth in its Sunday clothes."

Joseph Roux, French Clergyman

Poetry, Truth, Clothes

9

"I've often entertained paranoid suspicions about my fridge and what it's been doing to my poetry when I'm not looking, but I never even considered that my fan was thinking about me."

"I've often entertained paranoid suspicions about my fridge and what it's been doing to my poetry when I'm not looking, but I never even considered that my fan was thinking about me."

George Murray, Canadian Poet

Poetry, Thinking

9

"I have always written poetry but I have never applied it to songwriting."

"I have always written poetry but I have never applied it to songwriting."

Janine Turner, American Actress

9

"Literature is a state of culture, poetry is a state of grace, before and after culture."

"Literature is a state of culture, poetry is a state of grace, before and after culture."

Juan Ramon Jimenez, Spanish Poet

Poetry, Culture, Grace, Literature

9

"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

9

"The quietest poetry can be an explosion of joy."

"The quietest poetry can be an explosion of joy."

James Broughton, American Director

9

"There is a wonderful Hungarian literature, especially in lyric poetry."

"There is a wonderful Hungarian literature, especially in lyric poetry."

Gyorgy Ligeti, Hungarian Composer

Poetry, Literature

9

"As the sky prepares to settle its tired, aching feetinto the night's velvet slippersI settle, into my armchair, soaking the teabag,of my thoughts, into warm liquidy stars."

"As the sky prepares to settle its tired, aching feetinto the night's velvet slippersI settle, into my armchair, soaking the teabag,of my thoughts, into warm liquidy stars."

Sanober Khan, Indian Businessman

Poetry, Sky, Night, Peace, Reflection

9

"I was very interested in American poetry for many years. Much less now."

"I was very interested in American poetry for many years. Much less now."

Norman MacCaig, Scottish Poet

Poetry, American, Now, Years

9

"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

9

"Poetry is all nouns and verbs."

"Poetry is all nouns and verbs."

Marianne Moore, American Poet

9

"The urge to write poetry is like having an itch. When the itch becomes annoying enough, you scratch it."

"The urge to write poetry is like having an itch. When the itch becomes annoying enough, you scratch it."

Robert Penn Warren, American Novelist

9

"The true spirit of delight, the exaltation, the sense of being more than Man, which is the touchstone of the highest excellence, is to be found in mathematics as surely as poetry."

"The true spirit of delight, the exaltation, the sense of being more than Man, which is the touchstone of the highest excellence, is to be found in mathematics as surely as poetry."

Bertrand Russell, British Philosopher

Poetry, Being, Delight, Excellence

9

"Instead of trying to come up and pontificate on what literature is, you need to talk with children, to teachers, and make sure they get poetry in the curriculum early."

"Instead of trying to come up and pontificate on what literature is, you need to talk with children, to teachers, and make sure they get poetry in the curriculum early."

Rita Dove, American Poet

Poetry, Children, Curriculum, Literature

9

"Poetry is not only a set of words which are chosen to relate to each other; it is something which goes much further than that to provide a glimpse of our vision of the world."

"Poetry is not only a set of words which are chosen to relate to each other; it is something which goes much further than that to provide a glimpse of our vision of the world."

Tahar Ben Jelloun, French Poet

Poetry, Vision, Words, World

9

"I want to write a book of poetry, as well as children's stories."

"I want to write a book of poetry, as well as children's stories."

Bobby McFerrin, American Musician

Poetry, Children, Want

8

"A chronic poet should always be an inveterate nature-lover."

"A chronic poet should always be an inveterate nature-lover."

Munia Khan, Bangladeshi Poet

Poetry, Nature, Love, Life

8

"Poetry must be made by all and not by one."

"Poetry must be made by all and not by one."

Comte de Lautreamont, French Poet

8

"Humour is a fine line to walk in poetry, as in fiction. I just think it's harder to write. It's harder to keep the respect of the reader too."

"Humour is a fine line to walk in poetry, as in fiction. I just think it's harder to write. It's harder to keep the respect of the reader too."

George Murray, Canadian Poet

Poetry, Fiction, Respect

8

"We recognise in the finished art, which is the result of these conditions, the best words in the best order - poetry; and to put this essential poetry into different classes is impossible."

"We recognise in the finished art, which is the result of these conditions, the best words in the best order - poetry; and to put this essential poetry into different classes is impossible."

John Drinkwater, English Poet

Poetry, Art, Order, Result

8

"Poetry leads us to the unstructured sources of our beings, to the unknown, and returns us to our rational, structured selves refreshed."

"Poetry leads us to the unstructured sources of our beings, to the unknown, and returns us to our rational, structured selves refreshed."

A. R. Ammons, American Poet

8

"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

8

"If a line of poetry strays into my memory, my skin bristles so that the razor ceases to act."

"If a line of poetry strays into my memory, my skin bristles so that the razor ceases to act."

A. E. Housman, English Poet

Poetry, Act, Memory, Skin

8

"I would say that American poetry has always been a poetry of personal testimony."

"I would say that American poetry has always been a poetry of personal testimony."

Mark Strand, American Poet

8

"I don't live for poetry. I live far more than anybody else does."

"I don't live for poetry. I live far more than anybody else does."

Charles Olson, American Poet

8

"In politics, as in poetry, it is sometimes true that it is darkest before dawn."

"In politics, as in poetry, it is sometimes true that it is darkest before dawn."

Larry Summers, American Economist

Poetry, Politics, Dawn

8

"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

8

"Obviously one of the things that poets from Northern Ireland and beyond - had to try to make sense of was what was happening on a day-to-day political level."

"Obviously one of the things that poets from Northern Ireland and beyond - had to try to make sense of was what was happening on a day-to-day political level."

Paul Muldoon, English Poet

Poetry, Day, Ireland, Poets, Sense

8

"The arts generally have had to recognize Modernism - how should poetry escape?"

"The arts generally have had to recognize Modernism - how should poetry escape?"

John C. Ransom, American Poet

8

"Journalism is concerned with events, poetry with feelings. Journalism is concerned with the look of the world, poetry with the feel of the world."

"Journalism is concerned with events, poetry with feelings. Journalism is concerned with the look of the world, poetry with the feel of the world."

Archibald MacLeish, American Poet

Poetry, Feelings, Events, Journalism

8

"Poetry heals the wounds inflicted by reason."

"Poetry heals the wounds inflicted by reason."

Novalis, German Poet

Poetry, Reason, Wounds

8

"The office of poetry is not to make us think accurately, but feel truly."

"The office of poetry is not to make us think accurately, but feel truly."

Frederick Robertson, English Clergyman

8

"A great many people seem to think writing poetry is worthwhile, even though it pays next to nothing and is not as widely read as it should be."

"A great many people seem to think writing poetry is worthwhile, even though it pays next to nothing and is not as widely read as it should be."

Mark Strand, American Poet

Poetry, People, Nothing, Writing

8

"All those authors there, most of whom of course I've never met. That's the poetry side, that's the prose side, that's the fishing and miscellaneous behind me. You get an affection for books that you've enjoyed."

"All those authors there, most of whom of course I've never met. That's the poetry side, that's the prose side, that's the fishing and miscellaneous behind me. You get an affection for books that you've enjoyed."

Norman MacCaig, Scottish Poet

Poetry, Affection, Books, Fishing

8

"I think when kids just see well-crafted poetry, it's just obtuse to them. It's hard to relate to."

"I think when kids just see well-crafted poetry, it's just obtuse to them. It's hard to relate to."

Jewel Kilcher, American Musician

8

"The Spring I seek is in a new face only."

"The Spring I seek is in a new face only."

Allen Tate, American Poet

8

"Poetry is what Milton saw when he went blind."

"Poetry is what Milton saw when he went blind."

Don Marquis, American Poet

8

"There is also poetry written to be shouted in a square in front of an enthusiastic crowd. This occurs especially in countries where authoritarian regimes are in power."

"There is also poetry written to be shouted in a square in front of an enthusiastic crowd. This occurs especially in countries where authoritarian regimes are in power."

Eugenio Montale, Italian Poet

Poetry, Power, Countries

8

"Poetry, even when apparently most fantastic, is always a revolt against artifice, a revolt, in a sense, against actuality."

"Poetry, even when apparently most fantastic, is always a revolt against artifice, a revolt, in a sense, against actuality."

James Joyce, Irish Novelist

8

"Science is for those who learn, poetry is for those who know."

"Science is for those who learn, poetry is for those who know."

Joseph Roux, French Clergyman

Poetry, Science

8

"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

8

"No, what I should really like to do right now, in the full blaze of lights, before this illustrious assembly, is to shower every one of you with gifts, with flowers, with offerings of poetry - to be young once more, to ride on the crest of the wave."

"No, what I should really like to do right now, in the full blaze of lights, before this illustrious assembly, is to shower every one of you with gifts, with flowers, with offerings of poetry - to be young once more, to ride on the crest of the wave."

Knut Hamsun, Norwegian Author

Poetry, Flowers, Gifts, Now

8

"It was the noise Of ancient trees falling while all was still Before the storm, in the long interval Between the gathering clouds and that light breeze Which Germans call the Wind's bride."

"It was the noise Of ancient trees falling while all was still Before the storm, in the long interval Between the gathering clouds and that light breeze Which Germans call the Wind's bride."

Charles Godfrey Leland, American Writer

Poetry, Clouds, Light, Trees, Wind

8

"I gave up on new poetry myself 30 years ago when most of it began to read like coded messages passing between lonely aliens in a hostile world."

"I gave up on new poetry myself 30 years ago when most of it began to read like coded messages passing between lonely aliens in a hostile world."

Russell Baker, American Journalist

Poetry, Lonely, World, Years

8

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