“Writing an upbeat aphorism is a temptation, but decorum forbids.”
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Famous Mason Cooley Quotes
“The aphorism sometimes casts off cynicism and expresses strong feeling.”
“The aphorism wants to be at the same time both main line and off beat.”
“A sentimental aphorism is even more a surprise than a hard- boiled sonnet.”
“To be thoroughly modern, an aphorism should trail off vaguely rather than coming to a point.”
“The perfect aphorism would achieve classical balance and then immediately upset it.”
“Finding a thought for an aphorism is not hard. Putting a kink in its tail is the hard part.”
“The lyric deals with love and sorrow, the aphorism with contradiction and deceit.”
“The aphorism: a platitude that swerves, or slides all the way around.”
“An aphorism that does not score is just one more sentence.”
“The aphorism offers a momentary sense of mastery over some confusion or unhappiness.”
“The laughter of the aphorism is sometimes triumphant, but seldom carefree.”