“There is something about poetry beyond prose logic, there is mystery in it, not to be explained but admired.”
Poetry says in twenty words what prose takes two hundred to approximate. These quotes explore the craft, the beauty, and the necessity of verse — from poets who live for it and readers who are grateful they do.
“The subject of Finnish poetry ought to have a special interest for the Japanese student, if only for the reason that Finnish poetry comes more closely in many respects to Japanese poetry than any other form of Western poetry.”
“There is something about poetry beyond prose logic, there is mystery in it, not to be explained but admired.”
“All slang is metaphor, and all metaphor is poetry.”
“In the world of poetry there are would-be poets, workshop poets, promising poets, lovesick poets, university poets, and a few real poets.”
“But I am not political in the current events sense, and I have never wanted anyone to read my poetry that way.”
“Traditional matter must be glorified, since it would be easier to listen to the re-creation of familiar stories than to quite new and unexpected things the listeners, we must remember, needed poetry chiefly as the re-creation of tired hours.”
“They need to learn poetry. They don't need to learn about poetry. They don't need to be told how to interpret poetry. They don't need to be told how to understand poetry. They need to learn it.”
“The greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world... to see clearly is poetry, prophecy and religion all in one.”
“We make out of the quarrel with others, rhetoric, but of the quarrel with ourselves, poetry.”
“Nothing truly convincing - which would possess thoroughness, vigor, and skill - has been written against the ancients as yet especially not against their poetry.”
“Poetry is a sword of lightning, ever unsheathed, which consumes the scabbard that would contain it.”
“I don't think poetry is something that can be taught. We can encourage young writers, but what you can't teach them is the very essence of poetry.”
“A lot happens by accident in poetry.”
“I don't think I've ever read poetry, ever.”
“I never thought I'd be doing poetry books. I never really studied poetry. But the first one I did was after my mother died, and I realized that people sort of think and talk about her style and fashion, but in fact, what made her the person she was was really her love of reading and ideas.”
“Every now and then I read a poem that does touch something in me, but I never turn to poetry for solace or pleasure in the way that I throw myself into prose.”