Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history.

Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history.

'Twas he that ranged the words at random flung,
Pierced the fair pearls and them together strung.

'Twas he that ranged the words at random flung,
Pierced the fair pearls and them together strung.

All bad poetry springs from genuine feeling.

All bad poetry springs from genuine feeling.

However, if a poem can be reduced to a prose sentence, there can't be much to it.

However, if a poem can be reduced to a prose sentence, there can't be much to it.

The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth.

The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth.

When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man's concern, read more

When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.

Poetry is a mirror which makes beautiful that which is distorted.

Poetry is a mirror which makes beautiful that which is distorted.

Feel you the barren flattery of a rhyme?
Can poets soothe you, when you pine for bread,
read more

Feel you the barren flattery of a rhyme?
Can poets soothe you, when you pine for bread,
By winding myrtle round your ruin'd shed?

The poet... may be used as a barometer, but let us not forget that he is also part of the read more

The poet... may be used as a barometer, but let us not forget that he is also part of the weather.