My brothers and sister and I were brought up in an atmosphere which I would describe as 'Puritan decadence'. Puritanism names the behaviour which is condemned; Puritan decadence regards the name itself as indecent, and pretends that the object behind… — Stephen Spender Copy Share Image
I think continually of those who were truly great . Who, from the womb, remembered the soul 's history Through corridors of light where… — Stephen Spender Copy Share Image
Since we are what we are, what shall we be But what we are? We are, we have Six feet and seventy years, to… — Stephen Spender Copy Share Image
One of my great surprises when I was in America was about twenty-five years ago in Harvard, hearing Randall Jarrell deliver a bitter attack… — Stephen Spender Copy Share Image
What is precious is never to forget, The delight of the blood drawn from ancient springs, Breaking through rocks in worlds before our earth;… — Stephen Spender Copy Share Image
If you get to a certain age, all people want to know about you is people you knew. ...An American student once said to… — Stephen Spender Copy Share Image
Involved in my own entrails and a crust Turning a pitted surface towards a space, I am a world that watches through a sky… — Stephen Spender Copy Share Image
Although Poets are vain and ambitious, their vanity and ambition are of the purest kind attainable in this world. They are ambitious to be… — Stephen Spender Copy Share Image
Great poetry is always written by somebody straining to go beyond what he can do. — Stephen Spender Copy Share Image
