--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are only so many people capable of…" description: "\"“There are only so many people capable of putting together words that stir and move and sing. When it became possible to earn a very good living in adv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/847/c-m-kornbluth-111602_lyric_there-are-only-so-many-people-capable-of_170202.jpg" --- # There are only so many people capable of putting together… ![“There are only so many people capable of putting together words that stir and move and sing. When it became possible to earn a very good living in advertising by exercising this capability, lyric poetry was left to untalented screwballs who had to shriek for attention and compete by eccentricity.” quote by C.M. Kornbluth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/847/c-m-kornbluth-111602_lyric_there-are-only-so-many-people-capable-of_170202.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/847/c-m-kornbluth-111602_lyric_there-are-only-so-many-people-capable-of_170202.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/847/c-m-kornbluth-111602_lyric_there-are-only-so-many-people-capable-of_170202.jpg) > ““There are only so many people capable of putting together words that stir and move and sing. When it became possible to earn a very good living in advertising by exercising this capability, lyric poetry was left to untalented screwballs who had to shriek for attention and compete by eccentricity.”” C.M. Kornbluth ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When profit motives dominate creative fields, true artistic expression is devalued and reduced to gimmicks. **In simple terms:** Commercial pressure degrades genuine art. Key Takeaway Value authenticity over market trends. Themes art commercialism authenticity creativity Mood critical contemplative Type Lyric:1 Lyric poetry:1 Poetry:1 Putting Words:1 Words Stir:1 Capability Lyric:1 When to use this quote - media industry - creative writing - advertising careers Key Concepts poetry advertising talent exploitation Questions to Reflect On - How can poets retain integrity while earning a living? - What defines “untalented screwballs”? A Different Perspective Not all advertising lacks artistic merit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lyric poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyric-poetry/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) ## Related quotes > [I am convinced that the first lyric poem was written at night, and that the moon was witness to the event and that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ruefle/i-am-convinced-that-the-first-lyric-poem-was-written-at-night-and/) [Mary Ruefle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ruefle/) > [This proves that great lyric poetry can die, be reborn, die again, but will always remain one of the most outstanding creations of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugenio-montale/this-proves-that-great-lyric-poetry-can-die-be-reborn-die-again-but/) [Eugenio Montale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugenio-montale/) > [Speaking of people I had to exclude: Hank Williams. which is to say, songs are part of lyric poetry in my book, my thinking.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-orr/speaking-of-people-i-had-to-exclude-hank-williams-which-is-to-say/) [Gregory Orr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-orr/) > [Lyric poetry is, of course, musical in origin. I do know that what happened to poetry in the twentieth century was that it began…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fenton/lyric-poetry-is-of-course-musical-in-origin-i-do-know-that-what/) [James Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fenton/) > [I think it's one of the things that drive lyric poetry, our sense of mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-think-it-s-one-of-the-things-that-drive-lyric-poetry-our-sense-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I have the idea that lyric poetry is a poetry that's driven by a sense of the presence of death. That there's something unbearable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-have-the-idea-that-lyric-poetry-is-a-poetry-that-s-driven-by-a/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [It is no longer possible for lyric poetry to express the immensity of our experience. Life has grown too cumbersome, too complicated. We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/it-is-no-longer-possible-for-lyric-poetry-to-express-the-immensity-of/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [No one can threaten poetry. It's always been there, always will be. Humans need it to live: it has sustaining powers. How could we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-orr/no-one-can-threaten-poetry-it-s-always-been-there-always-will-be/) [Gregory Orr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-orr/) > [Most lyric poetry is about love, whether yearned after, fulfilled, or wistfully regretted; what isn't tends to consist of laments and cris du coeur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/most-lyric-poetry-is-about-love-whether-yearned-after-fulfilled-or/) [Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/) > [''Words can stir emotions''](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-molebatsi/words-can-stir-emotions/) [Justin Molebatsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-molebatsi/) > [“Being created in the image of our omnipotent God, our spoken words are potent. Speaking what we believe—even from ourselves to ourselves—is like inviting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/being-created-in-the-image-of-our-omnipotent-god-our-spoken-words-are/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [Loveliest of trees, the cherry now Is hung with bloom along the bough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-housman/loveliest-of-trees-the-cherry-now-is-hung-with-bloom-along-the-bough/) [A. E. Housman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-housman/) > [In fact, in lyric poetry, truthfulness becomes recognizable as a ring of truth within the medium itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seamus-heaney/in-fact-in-lyric-poetry-truthfulness-becomes-recognizable-as-a-ring/) [Seamus Heaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seamus-heaney/) > [For 8,000 years, we've had lyric poetry; for 400 years we've had the novel: theatre hands its meaning down in text. Let's find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/for-8-000-years-we-ve-had-lyric-poetry-for-400-years-we-ve-had-the/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) > [The kind of poetry I write, lyric poetry, I think is really concerned with intimacy, with mystery. That needn't be religious mystery, there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/the-kind-of-poetry-i-write-lyric-poetry-i-think-is-really-concerned/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) ## More by C.M. Kornbluth > [“Tinny-Peete had no wish to be torn limb from limb; he knew very well that it would end that way if the population learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m-kornbluth/tinny-peete-had-no-wish-to-be-torn-limb-from-limb-he-knew-very-well/) C.M. Kornbluth Explore all 2 C.M. Kornbluth quotes ## More Lyric quotes > [“Lyric poets are always corrupting the young, making them choke in self-pity and indulge in reverie. Dirty sex and direspect for authority is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-simic/lyric-poets-are-always-corrupting-the-young-making-them-choke-in-self/) [Charles Simic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-simic/) > [One man's vulgarity is another man's lyric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan-ii/one-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-man-s-lyric/) [John Marshall Harlan II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan-ii/) > [I'm achingly aware of my own limitations as both part of the human race and as an individual. I'm just, casting this out that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-m-achingly-aware-of-my-own-limitations-as-both-part-of-the-human/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [This 'Making Mirrors' album is far more personal, even if there's a character element to the sounds I'm working with. Every song on this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gotye/this-making-mirrors-album-is-far-more-personal-even-if-there-s-a/) [Gotye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gotye/) > [“You're mine, Lyric.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/you-re-mine-lyric/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [In our hands, even the straightest lyric sounded shady.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-young/in-our-hands-even-the-straightest-lyric-sounded-shady/) [Angus Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-young/) > [My job is to be some sort of music/lyric psychic, to figure out that that's the right song to not fight the lyric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-folds/my-job-is-to-be-some-sort-of-music-lyric-psychic-to-figure-out-that/) [Ben Folds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-folds/) > [I am committed now to one thing: lyric sequences. I want the intensity of lyric, but the scope and arc of narrative. so, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-orr/i-am-committed-now-to-one-thing-lyric-sequences-i-want-the-intensity/) [Gregory Orr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-orr/) > [“Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-brandt/don-t-tell-me-the-sky-s-the-limit-when-there-are-footprints-on-the/) [Paul Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-brandt/) > [Most lyric poetry is about love, whether yearned after, fulfilled, or wistfully regretted; what isn't tends to consist of laments and cris du coeur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/most-lyric-poetry-is-about-love-whether-yearned-after-fulfilled-or/) [Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/) > [Lyric writing is an interesting process in Sonic Youth. There's three people writing now, and we've all had a lot of interest and involvement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurston-moore/lyric-writing-is-an-interesting-process-in-sonic-youth-there-s-three/) [Thurston Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurston-moore/) > [“He quickly reached for his lyric book and started writing. You sing to me through laughter. I see it dancing in your eyes. Pieces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-lister/he-quickly-reached-for-his-lyric-book-and-started-writing-you-sing-to/) [Ann Lister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-lister/) > [I think what we like about music - and what we like about art in general…is that enterprise that stops our minds from spinning.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-think-what-we-like-about-music-and-what-we-like-about-art-in/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [What makes a great song - you don't put it into words. You feel it. The perfect lyric. The perfect melody. It makes you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-warren/what-makes-a-great-song-you-don-t-put-it-into-words-you-feel-it-the/) [Diane Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-warren/) > [“love is but an echo in her head”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cantor/love-is-but-an-echo-in-her-head/) David Cantor Browse all 205 Lyric quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There are only so many people capable of putting together words that stir and move and sing. When it became possible to earn a very good living in advertising by exercising this capability, lyric poetry was left to untalented screwballs who had to shriek for attention and compete by eccentricity.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C.M. 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