---
title: "2 True Poem Quotes By Henry David Thoreau"
description: "2 True Poem quotes by Henry David Thoreau. Plus more from Henry David Thoreau and more True Poem sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/henry-david-thoreau-20_art_the-true-poem-is-not-that-which-the-publ_1743097.jpg"
---

> [The true poem is not that which the public read. There is always a poem not printed on paper,... in the poet's life. It is what hehas become through his work. Not how is the idea expressed in stone, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-true-poem-is-not-that-which-the-public-read-there-is-always-a/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/henry-david-thoreau-20_art_the-true-poem-is-not-that-which-the-publ_1743097.jpg)

> [A true poem is distinguished not so much by a felicitous expression, or any thought it suggests, as by the atmosphere which surrounds it. Most have beauty of outline merely, and are striking as the form and bearing of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-true-poem-is-distinguished-not-so-much-by-a-felicitous-expression/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aef/henry-david-thoreau-20_atmosphere_a-true-poem-is-distinguished-not-so-much_2114682.jpg)

## More by Henry David Thoreau

> [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "ItemList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-poem/henry-david-thoreau/#itemlist",
            "name": "2 True Poem Quotes By Henry David Thoreau",
            "numberOfItems": 2,
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "The true poem is not that which the public read. There is always a poem not printed on paper,... in the poet's life. It is what hehas become through his work. Not how is the idea expressed in stone, or on canvas or paper, is the question, but how far it has obtained form and expression in the life of the artist. His true work will not stand in any prince's gallery.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Henry David Thoreau"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-true-poem-is-not-that-which-the-public-read-there-is-always-a/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/henry-david-thoreau-20_art_the-true-poem-is-not-that-which-the-publ_1743097.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/henry-david-thoreau-20_art_the-true-poem-is-not-that-which-the-publ_1743097.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/henry-david-thoreau-20_art_the-true-poem-is-not-that-which-the-publ_1743097.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“The true poem is not that which the public read. There is always a poem not printed on paper,... in the…” — Henry David Thoreau",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "A true poem is distinguished not so much by a felicitous expression, or any thought it suggests, as by the atmosphere which surrounds it. Most have beauty of outline merely, and are striking as the form and bearing of a stranger; but true verses come toward us indistinctly, as the very breath of all friendliness, and envelop us in their spirit and fragrance.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Henry David Thoreau"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-true-poem-is-distinguished-not-so-much-by-a-felicitous-expression/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aef/henry-david-thoreau-20_atmosphere_a-true-poem-is-distinguished-not-so-much_2114682.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aef/henry-david-thoreau-20_atmosphere_a-true-poem-is-distinguished-not-so-much_2114682.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aef/henry-david-thoreau-20_atmosphere_a-true-poem-is-distinguished-not-so-much_2114682.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“A true poem is distinguished not so much by a felicitous expression, or any thought it suggests, as by the…” — Henry David Thoreau",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "CollectionPage",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-poem/henry-david-thoreau/#webpage",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-poem/henry-david-thoreau/",
            "name": "True Poem Quotes by Henry David Thoreau",
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "mainEntity": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-poem/henry-david-thoreau/#itemlist"
            },
            "primaryImageOfPage": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/henry-david-thoreau-20_art_the-true-poem-is-not-that-which-the-publ_1743097.jpg"
            },
            "description": "2 True Poem quotes by Henry David Thoreau. Plus more from Henry David Thoreau and more True Poem sayings from other authors.",
            "breadcrumb": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-poem/henry-david-thoreau/#breadcrumb"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-poem/henry-david-thoreau/#breadcrumb",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Topics",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "True Poem",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-poem/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 5,
                    "name": "Henry David Thoreau",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-poem/henry-david-thoreau/"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```