I like ornament at the right time, but I don't want a poem…
“I like ornament at the right time, but I don't want a poem to be made out of decoration ... When I read the poems that matter to me, it stuns me how much the presence of the heart-in all its forms-is endlessly available there. To experience ourselves in an important way just knocks me out. It puzzles me why people have given that up for cleverness. Some of them are ingenious, more ingenious than I am, but so many of them aren't any good at being alive.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The author laments that people prioritize cleverness over authentic emotional expression, missing the depth of heartfelt poetry.
In simple terms: People value cleverness over genuine feeling in poetry.
Seek authentic feeling over cleverness.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- reading poetry
- self‑reflection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance skill with sincerity?
- What does “being alive” mean in your art?
Cleverness can also convey depth.