“The composer does not want the self-sufficiency of a richly complex text: he or she wants to feel that the text is something in need of musical setting.” WantNeedsFeelsDoeSelfComplexesMusicalSettingSettingsComposerSelf SufficiencySufficiency Author:James Fenton
“Great poetry does not have to be technically intricate.” DoeIntricateGreat Poetry Author:James Fenton
“A glance at the history of European poetry is enough to inform us that rhyme itself is not indispensable. Latin poetry in the classical age had no use for it, and the kind of Latin poetry that does rhyme - as for instance the medieval Carmina Burana - tends to be somewhat crude stuff in comparison with the classical verse that doesn't.” KindDoeEnoughUseAgeStuffInstanceComparisonPoetry IsLatinVersesRhymeIndispensableGlancesMedievalCrude Author:James Fenton
“The basic rhymes in English are masculine, which is to say that the last syllable of the line is stressed: "lane" rhymes with "pain", but it also rhymes with "urbane" since the last syllable of "urbane" is stressed. "Lane" does not rhyme with "methane".” DoePainLastsLinesRhymeMasculineStressedLanesSyllablesMethane Author:James Fenton
