Most people read poetry listening for echoes because the echoes are familiar to them. They wade through it the way a boy wades through water, feeling with his toes for the bottom: The echoes are the bottom.

Quote by Wallace Stevens

Topics: Wallace Stevens Quotes

In poetry, you must love the words, the ideas and the images and rhythms with...

In poetry, you must love the words, the ideas and the images and rhythms with...

Perhaps it is of more value to infuriate philosophers than to go along with them.

Perhaps it is of more value to infuriate philosophers than to go along with them.

Death is the mother of Beauty; hence from her, alone, shall come fulfillment to our...

Death is the mother of Beauty; hence from her, alone, shall come fulfillment to our...

It can never be satisfied, the mind, never.

It can never be satisfied, the mind, never.

All history is modern history

All history is modern history

There is truth in the reply of a great lawyer when asked how the lawyers...

There is truth in the reply of a great lawyer when asked how the lawyers...

It is the unknown that excites the ardor of scholars, who, in the known alone,...

It is the unknown that excites the ardor of scholars, who, in the known alone,...

Most people read poetry listening for echoes because the echoes are familiar to them. They...

Most people read poetry listening for echoes because the echoes are familiar to them. They...

The fire burns as the novel taught it how.

The fire burns as the novel taught it how.

One's ignorance is one's chief asset.

One's ignorance is one's chief asset.

As life grows more terrible, its literature grows more terrible.

As life grows more terrible, its literature grows more terrible.

I do not know which to prefer, The beauty of inflections, Or the beauty of...

I do not know which to prefer, The beauty of inflections, Or the beauty of...

New York is a field of tireless and antagonistic interests undoubtedly fascinating but horribly unreal....

New York is a field of tireless and antagonistic interests undoubtedly fascinating but horribly unreal....

To regard the imagination as metaphysics is to think of it as part of life,...

To regard the imagination as metaphysics is to think of it as part of life,...

Thought is an infection. In the case of certain thoughts, it becomes an epidemic.

Thought is an infection. In the case of certain thoughts, it becomes an epidemic.

After the final no there comes a yes and on that yes the future of...

After the final no there comes a yes and on that yes the future of...

The point of vision and desire are the same.

The point of vision and desire are the same.

Reality is not what it is. It consists of the many realities which it can...

Reality is not what it is. It consists of the many realities which it can...

Poor, dear, silly Spring, preparing her annual surprise!

Poor, dear, silly Spring, preparing her annual surprise!

Everything is complicated; if that were not so, life and poetry and everything else would...

Everything is complicated; if that were not so, life and poetry and everything else would...