Becoming Quote by A. R. Ammons
“Each poem in becoming generates the laws by which it is generated: extensions of the laws to other poems never completely take.”
About This Quote
Source Poetry Collection: Tape for the Turn of the Year, 1970
Poems create rules that shape future poems, yet those rules never fully apply elsewhere.
In simple terms: Poems set their own rules.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge creative limits.
Themes
creativity
rules
poetry
Mood
introspective
artistic
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- literary analysis
- artistic practice
Key Concepts
metafiction
generative art
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance structure and freedom?
- Can a poem break its own rules?
A Different Perspective
Rules can stifle innovation if over‑relied upon.
