---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ars Poetica A poem should be palpable and…"
description: "\"“ Ars Poetica A poem should be palpable and mute As a globed fruit, Dumb As old medallions to the thumb, Silent as the sleeve-worn stone Of casement le..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/archibald-macleish-7676_poetry_ars-poetica-a-poem-should-be-palpable-an_1645076.jpg"
---

#  Ars Poetica A poem should be palpable and mute As a globed…

![“Ars Poetica A poem should be palpable and mute As a globed fruit, Dumb As old medallions to the thumb, Silent as the sleeve-worn stone Of casement ledges where the moss has grown— A poem should be wordless As the flight of birds. A poem should be motionless in time As the moon climbs, Leaving, as…” quote by Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/archibald-macleish-7676_poetry_ars-poetica-a-poem-should-be-palpable-an_1645076.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/archibald-macleish-7676_poetry_ars-poetica-a-poem-should-be-palpable-an_1645076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/archibald-macleish-7676_poetry_ars-poetica-a-poem-should-be-palpable-an_1645076.jpg)

> ““ Ars Poetica A poem should be palpable and mute As a globed fruit, Dumb As old medallions to the thumb, Silent as the sleeve-worn stone Of casement ledges where the moss has grown— A poem should be wordless As the flight of birds. A poem should be motionless in time As the moon climbs, Leaving, as the moon releases Twig by twig the night-entangled trees, Leaving, as the moon behind the winter leaves, Memory by memory the mind— A poem should be motionless in time As the moon climbs. A poem should be equal to: Not true. For all the history of grief An empty doorway and a maple leaf. For love The leaning grasses and two lights above the sea— A poem should not mean But be.””

[Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/)

## About This Quote

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

Poetry should evoke feeling without explicit meaning, existing as a sensory, timeless experience.

**In simple terms:** Poetry is felt, not explained.

Key Takeaway

Create evocative, wordless art.

Themes

art poetry expression silence nature

Mood

contemplative inspirational

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- writing workshops
- literary analysis
- creative meditation

Key Concepts

aestheticism symbolism imagery

Questions to Reflect On

- What emotions does the poem evoke?
- How can silence convey meaning?

A Different Perspective

Risk of being overly abstract, losing clear communication.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

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

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