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John Ashbery Quotes

Poet

John Ashbery is an influential American poet born on July 28, 1927. Known for his innovative poetry style and rich imagination, his work has had a profound impact on postmodern poetry.

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All Life Inspirational Inspirational Life Thinking Way Knows People Poetry Want Ifs May Moments Writing Past Poet Seems Art Beautiful Certain Doe

Famous John Ashbery Quotes

“What is the past, what is it all for? A mental sandwich?”

Past Sandwiches

Book:Selected poems

Source: Selected poems

“We might realize that the present moment may be one of an eternal or sempiternal series of moments, all of which will resemble it because, in some ways, they are the present, and won't in other ways, because the present will be the past by that time.”

Way May Moments Might Past Realizing Eternal Series Present Moment

Author:John Ashbery

“And we may be led, then, upward through more Powerful forms of poetry, past columns With peeling posters on them, to the country of indifference. Meanwhile if the swell diapasons, blooms Unhappily and too soon, the little people are nonetheless real.”

People Ifs May Littles Art Real Country Past Form Poetry Powerful Poet Indifference Columns Posters Peeling

Book:Selected poems

Source: Selected poems

“Sometimes a musical phrase would perfectly sum up The mood of a moment. One of those lovelorn sonatas For wind instruments was riding past on a solemn white horse. Everybody wondered who the new arrival was.”

Sometimes Moments Past White Music Wind Musician Horse Instruments Musical Mood Phrases Riding Solemn Arrivals White Horse Sonatas New Arrivals Wind Instruments

Book:Selected poems

Source: Selected poems

“The gray glaze of the past attacks all know-how...”

Knows Life Inspirational Past Know How Inspirational Life Gray

Book:Selected poems

Source: Selected poems

About the Author

Born: July 28, 1927
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 97

Books & Sources

Selected poemsRelated source material

A Wave: PoemsRelated source material

Shadow train: poemsRelated source material

John Ashbery, Lee Harwood, Tom RaworthRelated source material

Notes from the Air: Selected Later PoemsRelated source material

Self-Portrait in a Convex MirrorRelated source material

Some TreesRelated source material

The Tennis Court Oath: A Book of PoemsRelated source material

Flow ChartRelated source material

Reported sightings: art chronicles, 1957-1987Related source material

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