--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poets arguing about modern poetry…" description: "\"Poets arguing about modern poetry: jackals snarling over a dried-up well.\" — Cyril Connolly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/cyril-connolly-1829_arguing_poets-arguing-about-modern-poetry-jackal_1274214.png" --- # Poets arguing about modern poetry: jackals snarling over a… ![“Poets arguing about modern poetry: jackals snarling over a dried-up well.” quote by Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/cyril-connolly-1829_arguing_poets-arguing-about-modern-poetry-jackal_1274214.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/cyril-connolly-1829_arguing_poets-arguing-about-modern-poetry-jackal_1274214.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/cyril-connolly-1829_arguing_poets-arguing-about-modern-poetry-jackal_1274214.png) > “Poets arguing about modern poetry: jackals snarling over a dried-up well.” [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critique of how poets degrade poetry into petty rivalry, likening it to predators fighting over a barren resource. **In simple terms:** Poets fight over empty ideas. Key Takeaway Avoid petty disputes; focus on substance. Themes literary criticism competition artistic integrity Mood skeptical critical Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - academic conferences - literary workshops - online debates - creative writing classes Key Concepts postmodernism cultural decay elitism Questions to Reflect On - How does rivalry affect artistic growth? - What can foster collaborative creativity? A Different Perspective May overlook genuine innovation in favor of conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Arguing Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing-modern-4095296/) [Jackals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jackals/) [Jackals Snarling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jackals-snarling-4095295/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Modern poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-poetry/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poetry Jackals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-jackals-4095293/) [Poets Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poets-arguing-4095294/) [Snarling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snarling/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [The reason modern poetry is difficult is so that the poet's wife cannot understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-cope/the-reason-modern-poetry-is-difficult-is-so-that-the-poet-s-wife/) [Wendy Cope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-cope/) > [Modern" poetry is, essentially, an extension of romanticism; it is what romantic poetry wishes or finds it necessary to become. It is the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-jarrell/modern-poetry-is-essentially-an-extension-of-romanticism-it-is-what/) [Randall Jarrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-jarrell/) > [Dante Alighieri has the most glorious imagination of modern poetry. So it's talking about us, it's concerning us. Everything in it conveys sentiment, emotions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-benigni/dante-alighieri-has-the-most-glorious-imagination-of-modern-poetry-so/) [Roberto Benigni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-benigni/) > [“What poets, I cried aloud, as one does in the dusk, what poets they were! In a sort of jealousy, I suppose, for our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-poets-i-cried-aloud-as-one-does-in-the-dusk-what-poets-they-were/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [One characteristic of modern poetry is that arrangement of parts which strikes many people as being violent or obscure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-rukeyser/one-characteristic-of-modern-poetry-is-that-arrangement-of-parts/) [Muriel Rukeyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-rukeyser/) > [A very intimate sense of the expressiveness of outward things, which ponders, listens, penetrates, where the earlier, less developed consciousness passed lightly by, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-pater/a-very-intimate-sense-of-the-expressiveness-of-outward-things-which/) [Walter Pater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-pater/) > [“{ Letter from Fawcett to the great Robert Ingersoll , 1894 } I do so wish, that, in all these big questions, literary men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-fawcett/letter-from-fawcett-to-the-great-robert-ingersoll-1894-i-do-so-wish/) [Edgar Fawcett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-fawcett/) > [The actual world, not some fantastic structure that has nothing to do with reality, must provide the material for modern poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-rukeyser/the-actual-world-not-some-fantastic-structure-that-has-nothing-to-do/) [Muriel Rukeyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-rukeyser/) > [While I've had a great distaste for what's usually called song in modern poetry or for what's usually called music, I really don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/while-i-ve-had-a-great-distaste-for-what-s-usually-called-song-in/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [Modern poetry, for me, began not in English at all but in Spanish, in the poems of Lorca.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/modern-poetry-for-me-began-not-in-english-at-all-but-in-spanish-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Before people complain of the obscurity of modern poetry, they should first examine their consciences and ask themselves with how many people and on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/before-people-complain-of-the-obscurity-of-modern-poetry-they-should/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The great watershed of modern poetry is French, more than English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-morgan/the-great-watershed-of-modern-poetry-is-french-more-than-english/) [Robert Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-morgan/) > [As Popa penetrates deeper into his life, with book after book, it begins to look like a Universe passing through a Universe. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-hughes/as-popa-penetrates-deeper-into-his-life-with-book-after-book-it/) [Ted Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-hughes/) > [Among those today who believe that modern poetry must do without rhyme or metre, there is an assumption that the alternative to free verse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fenton/among-those-today-who-believe-that-modern-poetry-must-do-without/) [James Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fenton/) > [“Love fades where every gesture has a price.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelika-regossi/love-fades-where-every-gesture-has-a-price/) [Angelika Regossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelika-regossi/) ## More by Cyril Connolly > [Literature is the art of writing something that will be read twice; journalism what will be read once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/literature-is-the-art-of-writing-something-that-will-be-read-twice/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [There is no fury like a woman searching for a new lover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/there-is-no-fury-like-a-woman-searching-for-a-new-lover/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [Beautiful women must think about their beauty as capitalists think about their investments or politicians about their majorities; it is all they have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/beautiful-women-must-think-about-their-beauty-as-capitalists-think/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [We cannot be happy until we can love ourselves without egotism and our friends without tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/we-cannot-be-happy-until-we-can-love-ourselves-without-egotism-and/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [What grape to keep its place in the sun, taught our ancestors to make wine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/what-grape-to-keep-its-place-in-the-sun-taught-our-ancestors-to-make/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [“Literature is the art of writing something that will be read twice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/literature-is-the-art-of-writing-something-that-will-be-read-twice-2/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [“Our memories are card-indexes consulted and then put back in disorder by authorities whom we do not control.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/our-memories-are-card-indexes-consulted-and-then-put-back-in-disorder/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [Were I to deduce any system from my feelings on leaving Eton, it might be called The Theory of Permanent Adolescence. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/were-i-to-deduce-any-system-from-my-feelings-on-leaving-eton-it-might/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [Failure on the other hand is infectious. The world is full of charming failures (for all charming people have something to conceal, usually their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/failure-on-the-other-hand-is-infectious-the-world-is-full-of-charming/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [The civilization of one epoch becomes the manure of the next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/the-civilization-of-one-epoch-becomes-the-manure-of-the-next/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [There is no more somber enemy of good art than the pram in the hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/there-is-no-more-somber-enemy-of-good-art-than-the-pram-in-the-hall/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [The true function of a writer is to produce a masterpiece and no other task is of any consequence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/the-true-function-of-a-writer-is-to-produce-a-masterpiece-and-no/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [“We pay for vice by the knowledge that we are wicked; we pay for pleasure when we find out too late that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/we-pay-for-vice-by-the-knowledge-that-we-are-wicked-we-pay-for/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [The books I haven't written are better than the books other people have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/the-books-i-haven-t-written-are-better-than-the-books-other-people/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [If Montaigne is a man in the prime of life sitting in his study on a warm morning and putting down the sum of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/if-montaigne-is-a-man-in-the-prime-of-life-sitting-in-his-study-on-a/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) [Explore all 204 Cyril Connolly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) [Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Poets arguing about modern poetry: jackals snarling over a dried-up well.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cyril Connolly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/poets-arguing-about-modern-poetry-jackals-snarling-over-a-dried-up/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arguing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/poets-arguing-about-modern-poetry-jackals-snarling-over-a-dried-up/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/cyril-connolly-1829_arguing_poets-arguing-about-modern-poetry-jackal_1274214.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/cyril-connolly-1829_arguing_poets-arguing-about-modern-poetry-jackal_1274214.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/cyril-connolly-1829_arguing_poets-arguing-about-modern-poetry-jackal_1274214.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Poets arguing about modern poetry: jackals snarling over a dried-up well.” — Cyril Connolly", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "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": "Cyril Connolly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Poets arguing about modern poetry: jackals...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/poets-arguing-about-modern-poetry-jackals-snarling-over-a-dried-up/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/poets-arguing-about-modern-poetry-jackals-snarling-over-a-dried-up/#breadcrumb" }, { "@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 } } ] } ```