“Ars Poetica A poem should be palpable and mute As a globed fruit, Dumb As old medallions to the thumb, Silent as the sleeve-worn stone Of casement ledges where the moss has grown— A poem should be wordless As the flight of birds. A poem should be motionless in time As the moon climbs, Leaving, as the moon releases Twig by twig the night-entangled trees, Leaving, as the moon behind the winter leaves, Memory by memory the mind— A poem should be motionless in time As the moon climbs. A poem should be equal to: Not true. For all the history of grief An empty doorway and a maple leaf. For love The leaning grasses and two lights above the sea— A poem should not mean But be.” Poetry Book:Collected Poems, 1917-1982 Source: Collected Poems, 1917-1982
“And here face down beneath the sun And here upon earth's noonward height To feel the always coming on The always rising of the night” DeathPoetryNightPoetPoemAndrew Marvell Book:Collected Poems, 1917-1982 Source: Collected Poems, 1917-1982
“A Poem should be palpable and mute As a globed fruit.” ShouldPoetryFruitMute Author:Archibald MacLeish
“The one man who should never attempt an explanation of a poem is its author. If the poem can be improved by it's author's explanations it never should have been published, and if the poem cannot be improved by its author's explanations the explanations are scarcely worth reading.” IfsMenShouldHas BeensPoetryReadingShould HaveExplanationOne ManShould Have BeenWorth Reading Author:Archibald MacLeish
