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A line will take us hours maybe; / Yet if it does not seem…

“A line will take us hours maybe; / Yet if it does not seem a moment's thought, / Our stitching and unstitching has been naught... Better go down upon your marrow-bones / And scrub a kitchen pavement, or break stones... For to articulate sweet sounds together / Is to work harder than all these, and…” quote by William Butler Yeats
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“A line will take us hours maybe; / Yet if it does not seem a moment's thought, / Our stitching and unstitching has been naught... Better go down upon your marrow-bones / And scrub a kitchen pavement, or break stones... For to articulate sweet sounds together / Is to work harder than all these, and yet / Be thought an idler by the noisy set...”

William Butler Yeats

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He suggests that true artistic effort requires deep labor, often unappreciated by casual observers.

In simple terms: Great art demands hard, unseen work.

Key Takeaway

Commit to diligent creation.

Themes

art effort recognition

Mood

melancholic determined

Type

literary reflective

When to use this quote

  • painting
  • writing
  • musical composition

Key Concepts

craftsmanship labor misunderstanding

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why do audiences undervalue the process?
  • How can creators find fulfillment despite criticism?
A Different Perspective

Hard work may be overlooked or dismissed.

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