All men are poets at heart. They serve nature for bread, but her loveliness overcomes them sometimes. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Test of the poet is knowledge of love, For Eros is older than Saturn or Jove; Never was poet, of late or… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Nor sequent centuries could hit Orbit and sum of SHAKSPEARE's wit. The men who lived with him became Poets, for the air… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Murder in the murderer is no such ruinous thought as poets and romancers will have it; it does not unsettle him, or… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
“Poet To mask the fiery thought, in simple words succeeds. For still the craft of genius is, To mask a king in… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Good poetry could not have been otherwise written than it is. The first time you hear it, it sounds rather as if… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
For this present, hard Is the fortune of the bard, Born out of time; All his accomplishment, From Nature's utmost treasure spent,… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Poets should be law-givers; that is, the boldest lyric inspiration should not chide and insult, but should announce and lead the civil… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
There is a property in the horizon which no man has, but he whose eyes can integrate all the parts,--that is, the… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
In dreams we are true poets; we create the persons of the drama; we give them appropriate figures faces, costumes; they are… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The poet alone knows astronomy, chemistry, vegetation, and animation, for he does not stop at these facts, but employs them as signs.… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Milton says, that the lyric poet may drink wine and live generously, but the epic poet, he who shall sing of the… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The best bribe which London offers to-day to the imagination, is, that, in such a vast variety of people and conditions, one… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Rings and jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts. The only gift is a portion of thyself. Thou must bleed for… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Doubt not, O poet, but persist. Say 'It is in me, and shall out.' Stand there, balked and dumb, stuttering and stammering,… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Every really able man, in whatever direction he works - a man of large affairs, an inventor, a statesman, an orator, a… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
One more royal trait properly belongs to the poet. I mean his cheerfulness, without which no man can be a poet,--for beauty… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Genius is always sufficiently the enemy of genius by over influence. The literature of every nation bear me witness. The English dramatic… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
It is the essence of poetry to spring, like the rainbow daughter of Wonder, from the invisible, to abolish the past, and… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
For, whom the Muses smile upon, And touch with soft persuasion, His words like a storm-wind can bring Terror and beauty on… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The great poet makes us feel our own wealth, and then we think less of his compositions. His best communication to our… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
There are two classes of poets - the poets by education and practice, these we respect; and poets by nature, these we… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
To clothe the fiery thought In simple words succeeds, For still the craft of genius is To mask a king in weeds. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
If you criticize a fine genius, the odds are that you are out of your reckoning, and, instead of the poet, are… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
We are as much informed of a writer's genius by what he selects as by what he originates. We read the quotation… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
There is some reason to believe that when a man does not write his poetry it escapes by other vents through him,… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
All poets have signalized their consciousness of rare moments when they were superior to themselves, -when a light, a freedom, a power… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
A poet is no rattlebrain, saying what comes uppermost, and, because he says every thing, saying, at last, something good; but a… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The poet needs a ground in popular tradition on which he may work, and which, again, may restrain his art within the… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The world still wants its poet-priest, a reconciler, who shall not trifle with Shakspeare the player, nor shall grope in graves with… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Rude poets of the tavern hearth, squandering your unquoted mirth, which keeps the ground, and never soars, while jake retorts, and reuben… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
We are made aware that magnitude of material things is relative, and all objects shrink and expand to serve the passion of… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
“There is then creative reading as well as creative writing. When the mind is braced by labor and invention, the page of whatever book… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
