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Patrick Kavanagh Quotes

Poet

Irish poet known for his rural themes and profound psychological descriptions. His works are often set in the Irish countryside, depicting the hardships and hopes of farmers.

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Famous Patrick Kavanagh Quotes

“Parochialism and provincialism are direct opposites. A provincial is always trying to live by other people's loves, but a parochial is self-sufficient.”

Provincialism Parochialism

Author:Patrick Kavanagh

“We are not alone in our loneliness, others have been here and known griefs we thought our special own.”

Has Beens Grief Known Special Loneliness Not Alone

Book:Selected poems

Source: Selected poems

“It often occurs to me that we love most what makes us miserable. In my opinion the damned are damned because they enjoy being damned.”

Enjoy Opinion Miserable

Book:Tarry Flynn

Source: Tarry Flynn

“It is impossible to read the daily press without being diverted from reality. You are full of enthusiasm for the eternal verities - life is worth living, and then out of sinful curiosity you open a newspaper. You are disillusioned and wrecked.”

Reality Life Is Impossible Eternal Presses Curiosity Newspapers Enthusiasm Worth Living Disillusioned Life Is Worth Living

Book:Collected Pruse

Source: Collected Pruse

“My chin is weak. I find it hard to make decisions. For years I had been caught between the two stools of security on the land and rich-scented life on the exotic islands of literature. I wasn't really a writer. I had seen a strange beautiful light on the hills and that was all.”

Years Two Hard Light Beautiful Literature Decision Rich Land Security Strange Weak Caught Hills Islands Exotic Chins Stools Beautiful Light

Author:Patrick Kavanagh

“Macmillan's rejection had left him very downcast... Patrick Swift was invited to peruse the contents and decided that the poems should be published.”

Should Left Decided Rejection Invited

Author:Patrick Kavanagh

“Publication there [in Nimbus] was to prove a turning point… The publication of his next volume of verse, Come Dance with Kitty Stobling, was to be directly linked to the mini-collection in Nimbus, and his Collected Poems (1964)”

Next Prove Collections Verses Volume Linked Publication Turning Points Kitties

Author:Patrick Kavanagh

“What appears in newspapers is often new but seldom true.”

Newspapers

Book:Collected Pruse

Source: Collected Pruse

“I dabbled in verse and it became my life”

Verses

Author:Patrick Kavanagh

“Malice is only another name for mediocrity.”

Names Mediocrity Malice

Book:Collected Pruse

Source: Collected Pruse

“A man is original when he speaks the truth that has always been known to all good men.”

Men Speak Known Originals Good Man Originality Speak The Truth

Book:Collected Pruse

Source: Collected Pruse

“There is something wrong with a work of art if it can be understood by a policeman.”

Ifs Art Understood Works Of Art Policemen

Author:Patrick Kavanagh

“God cannot catch us. Unless we stay in the unconscious room. Of our hearts.”

Heart Faith Rooms Unconscious

Book:No Earthly Estate: God and Patrick Kavanagh : an Anthology

Source: No Earthly Estate: God and Patrick Kavanagh : an Anthology

“The bicycles go by in twos and threes - There's a dance in Billy Brennan's barn to-night, And there's the half-talk code of mysteries And the wink-and-elbow language of delight. Half-past eight and there is not a spot Upon a mile of road, no shadow thrown That might turn out a man or woman, not A footfall tapping secrecies of stone. I have what every poet hates in spite Of all the solemn talk of contemplation. Oh, Alexander Selkirk knew the plight Of being king and government and nation. A road, a mile of kingdom, I am king Of banks and stones and every blooming thing.”

Source: Selected poems

“Actors are loved because they are unoriginal. Actors stick to their script. The unoriginal man is loved by the mediocrity because this kind of artistic expression is something to which the merest five-eighth can climb.”

Men Kind Actors Five Expression Sticks Scripts Artistic Climbs Mediocrity Artistic Expression

Book:Collected Pruse

Source: Collected Pruse

“On the stem of memory imaginations blossom.”

Mind Imagination Memories Metaphor Novelists Stem Blossoming

Book:No Earthly Estate: God and Patrick Kavanagh : an Anthology

Source: No Earthly Estate: God and Patrick Kavanagh : an Anthology

“A sweeping statement is the only statement worth listening to. The critic without faith gives balanced opinions, usually about second-rate writers.”

Giving Opinion Listening Critics Rate Statements Balanced Sweeping Second Rate

Book:Collected Pruse

Source: Collected Pruse

About the Author

Born: October 21, 1904
Died: November 30, 1967
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 17

Books & Sources

Collected PruseRelated source material

No Earthly Estate: God and Patrick Kavanagh : an AnthologyRelated source material

Selected poemsRelated source material

Tarry FlynnRelated source material

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