“To say that a poet is justified in employing a disintegrating form in order to express a feeling of disintegration, is merely a sophistical justification for bad poetry, akin to the Whitmanian notion that one must write loose and sprawling poetry to "express" the loose and sprawling American continent. In fact, all feeling, if one gives oneself (that is, one's form) up to it, is a way of disintegration; poetic form is by definition a means to arrest the disintegration and order the feeling; and in so far as any poetry tends toward the formless, it fails to be expressive of anything.”
Quote by Yvor Winters
Author
Yvor Winters
Yvor Winters was a prominent American poet known for his formalist approach to poetry. Born on October 17, 1900, in California, he spent much of his life in the Pacific Northwest. His poetry is characterized by its intellectual depth and rigorous craftsmanship, often focusing on themes of nature, morality, and the human condition. Winters was also a respected critic and literary theorist, contributing significantly to the understanding of American poetry. more
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