Don't play what's there, play what's not there.

Don't play what's there, play what's not there.

The merit of originality is not novelty; it is sincerity.

The merit of originality is not novelty; it is sincerity.

First, I do not sit down at my desk to put into verse something that is already clear in my read more

First, I do not sit down at my desk to put into verse something that is already clear in my mind. If it were clear in my mind, I should have no incentive or need to write about it. We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand.

The human mind cannot create anything. It produces nothing until after having been fertilized by experience and meditation; its acquisitions read more

The human mind cannot create anything. It produces nothing until after having been fertilized by experience and meditation; its acquisitions are the gems of its production.

Creativity is contagious, pass it on.

Creativity is contagious, pass it on.

It is not good enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well.

It is not good enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well.

It's been very important throughout my career that I've met all the guys I've copied, because at each stage they've read more

It's been very important throughout my career that I've met all the guys I've copied, because at each stage they've said, "Don't play like me, play like you.".

We try not to have ideas, preferring accidents. To create, you must empty yourself of every artistic thought.

We try not to have ideas, preferring accidents. To create, you must empty yourself of every artistic thought.

Creative minds have always been known to survive any kind of bad training.

Creative minds have always been known to survive any kind of bad training.