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William Stafford

William Stafford Quotes

Poet

William Stafford was an American poet known for his concise and straightforward style. His works often explore the relationship between the individual and society, as well as profound reflections on the nature and existence of humans. Born on January 17, 1914, and died on August 28, 1993.

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All Knows World Writing Ifs Way People Persons Happens Whole Done Found Kind Language Poetry Rivers Artist Discovery Giving May Poet

Famous William Stafford Quotes

“It is as if the ordinary language we use every day has a hidden set of signals, a kind of secret code.”

Ifs Kind Use Language Secret Ordinary Code Signals

Book:Crossing unmarked snow: further views on the writer's vocation

Source: Crossing unmarked snow: further views on the writer's vocation

“I am not learning definitions as established in even the latest dictionaries. I am not a dictionary-maker. I am a person a dictionary-maker has to contend with. I am a living evidence in the development of language.”

Persons Language Development Evidence Definitions Makers Dictionary

Author:William Stafford

“I have this feeling of wending my way or plundering through a mysterious jungle of possibilities when I am writing. This jungle has not been explored by previous writers. It never will be explored. It's endlessly varying as we progress through the experience of time. These words that occur to me come out of my relation to the language which is developing even as I am using it.”

Way Writing Feelings Language Progress Possibility Relation Mysterious My Way Developing Jungle

Author:William Stafford

“Language can do what it can’t say.”

Language Can Do

Book:Crossing unmarked snow: further views on the writer's vocation

Source: Crossing unmarked snow: further views on the writer's vocation

About the Author

Born: January 17, 1914
Died: August 28, 1993
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 78

Related Topics

Knows World Writing Ifs Way People Persons Happens Whole Done Found Kind Language Poetry Rivers Artist Discovery Giving May Poet

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

The Way It Is: New and Selected PoemsRelated source material

Crossing unmarked snow: further views on the writer's vocationRelated source material

Ask Me: 100 Essential Poems of William StaffordRelated source material

Every War Has Two Losers: William Stafford on Peace and WarRelated source material

Writing the Australian Crawl: Views on the Writer's VocationRelated source material

Stories that could be true: new and collected poemsRelated source material

The answers are inside the mountains: meditations on the writing lifeRelated source material

You must revise your lifeRelated source material

An Oregon MessageRelated source material

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