---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The poet wishes to strike beautiful…"
description: "\"“The poet wishes to strike beautiful notes, not new notes... To ask or expect a poet to strike a new note in poetry is exactly like asking or expecting..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/332/alfred-b-douglas-40674_poetry_the-poet-wishes-to-strike-beautiful-note_2389535.jpg"
---

#  The poet wishes to strike beautiful notes, not new…

![“The poet wishes to strike beautiful notes, not new notes... To ask or expect a poet to strike a new note in poetry is exactly like asking or expecting the Nightengale to strike a new note in her perennial song.” quote by Alfred B. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/332/alfred-b-douglas-40674_poetry_the-poet-wishes-to-strike-beautiful-note_2389535.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/332/alfred-b-douglas-40674_poetry_the-poet-wishes-to-strike-beautiful-note_2389535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/332/alfred-b-douglas-40674_poetry_the-poet-wishes-to-strike-beautiful-note_2389535.jpg)

> ““The poet wishes to strike beautiful notes, not new notes... To ask or expect a poet to strike a new note in poetry is exactly like asking or expecting the Nightengale to strike a new note in her perennial song.””

[Alfred B. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-b-douglas/)

## About This Quote

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

Poets should aim for timeless beauty rather than novelty; comparing a poet to a nightingale emphasizes the value of tradition over forced innovation.

**In simple terms:** Focus on beautiful, enduring expression, not novelty.

Key Takeaway

Cherish classic forms, avoid unnecessary novelty.

Themes

beauty tradition creativity

Mood

reflective inspired

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- writing workshops
- literary criticism
- creative teaching

Key Concepts

Aesthetics artistic integrity

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance tradition with personal voice?
- When is novelty truly valuable?

A Different Perspective

Innovation can stagnate if it ignores the power of established forms.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/)

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## More by Alfred B. Douglas

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