Home / Quotes / Quote by Derek Walcott

Quote by Derek Walcott

“If you know what you are going to write when you're writing a poem, it's going to be average.”

Author

Derek Walcott, born on January 23, 1930, and died on March 17, 2017, was a renowned poet. His poetry, characterized by its unique style and profound humanistic concern, has won him the Nobel Prize in Literature. more

“I have said that poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity: the emotion is contemplated till, by a species of reaction, the tranquillity gradually disappears, and an emotion, kindred to that which was before the subject of contemplation, is gradually produced, and does itself actually exist in the mind.”

Mind Doe Said Feelings Poetry Powerful Emotion Subjects Species Disappear Reactions Contemplation Poetry Is Spontaneous Kindred Overflow Tranquillity

Book:Poems

Source: Poems

“As a guiding principle I believe that every poem must be its own sole freshly created universe, and therefore have no belief n 'tradition' or a common myth-kitty or casual allusions in poems to other poems or poets, which last I find unpleasantly like the talk of literary understrappers letting you see they know the right people.”

People Knows Believe Lasts Poetry Universe Belief I Believe Common Principles Poet Tradition Myth Sole Casual Allusion Kitties Guiding Principles

Author:Philip Larkin

“You must believe: a poem is a holy thing - a good poem, that is. The poem, even a short time after being written, seems no miracle; unwritten, it seems something beyond the capacity of the gods.”

Believe Seems Poetry Written Holy Capacity Miracle Short Time Unwritten

Author:Theodore Roethke

“The poem is a plank laid over the lion's den.”

Poetry Lions Dens

Book:Collected Poems

Source: Collected Poems

“Poetry is itself a thing of God; He made his prophets poets; and the more We feel of poesie do we become Like God in love and power,-under-makers.”

Feels Made Poetry Poet Prophet Poetry Is Makers

Book:Festus: a poem

Source: Festus: a poem

“Poetry must find ways of breaking distance.... all languages are dialects that are made to break new grounds.”

Way Made Poetry Language Break Distance Dialect

Book:Yo-yo boing!

Source: Yo-yo boing!

“By failing to read or listen to poets, society dooms itself to inferior modes of articulation, those of the politician, the salesman, or the charlatan. In other words, it forfeits its own evolutionary potential. For what distinguishes us from the rest of the animal kingdom is precisely the gift of speech. Poetry is not a form of entertainment and in a certain sense not even a form of art, but it is our anthropological, genetic goal. Our evolutionary, linguistic beacon.”

Art Form Poetry Certain Goal Animal Failing Poet Politician Speech Entertainment Kingdoms Poetry Is Inferiors Doom Salesman Beacons Forfeit Charlatans Articulation Animal Kingdom

Author:Joseph Brodsky

“Some rhyme a neebor's name to lash; Some rhyme (vain thought!) for needfu' cash; Some rhyme to court the countra clash, An' raise a din; For me, an aim I never fash; I rhyme for fun.”

Poetry Names Fun Aim Raises Court Vain Cash Rhyme Clash Lashes

Author:Robert Burns

“Our poetry now is the realization that we possess nothing. Anything therefore is a delight (since we do not posses it) and thus need not fear its loss.”

Needs Poetry Loss Delight Realization Posse

Author:John Cage

“Poetry, therefore, we will call Musical Thought.”

Poetry Musical

Book:Sartor Resartus

Source: Sartor Resartus

Quote by Derek Walcott

Author

You May Also Like