--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To know how to say what others only know…" description: "\"“To know how to say what others only know how to think is what makes men poets or sages; and to dare to say what others only dare to think makes men ma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/elizabeth-charles-47759_poetry_to-know-how-to-say-what-others-only-know_970387.png" --- # To know how to say what others only know how to think is… ![“To know how to say what others only know how to think is what makes men poets or sages; and to dare to say what others only dare to think makes men martyrs or reformers-- or both.” quote by Elizabeth Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/elizabeth-charles-47759_poetry_to-know-how-to-say-what-others-only-know_970387.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/elizabeth-charles-47759_poetry_to-know-how-to-say-what-others-only-know_970387.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/elizabeth-charles-47759_poetry_to-know-how-to-say-what-others-only-know_970387.png) > ““To know how to say what others only know how to think is what makes men poets or sages; and to dare to say what others only dare to think makes men martyrs or reformers-- or both.”” [Elizabeth Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-charles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts poets/sages who articulate common thoughts with martyrs/reformers who voice daring ideas, suggesting both roles involve challenging norms. **In simple terms:** Speaking shared thoughts makes one a poet; daring to voice new ideas makes one a reformer. Key Takeaway Balance expression of common wisdom with bold innovation. Themes creativity courage truth rebellion Mood thought‑provoking inspirational Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - writing - public speaking - activism - education Key Concepts poetry philosophy social change innovation Questions to Reflect On - When should you speak common truth versus new ideas? - What risks accompany being a reformer? A Different Perspective Bold ideas can be risky and face resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dare Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dare-think-250814/) [Martyrs Reformers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martyrs-reformers-565695/) [Men Martyrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-martyrs-1858500/) [Men Poets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-poets-666617/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poets Sages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poets-sages-1580544/) ## Related quotes > [To know how to say what other people only think, is what makes poets and sages; and to dare to say what others only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-charles/to-know-how-to-say-what-other-people-only-think-is-what-makes-poets/) [Elizabeth Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-charles/) > [“The dead men had become martyrs and their degradation was forgotten”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-dead-men-had-become-martyrs-and-their-degradation-was-forgotten/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We love the old saints, missionaries, martyrs, and reformers. Our Luthers, Bunyans, Wesleys and Asburys, etc... We will write their biographies, reverence their memories,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/we-love-the-old-saints-missionaries-martyrs-and-reformers-our-luthers/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [A very few, as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men, serve the state with their conscience also, and so necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-very-few-as-heroes-patriots-martyrs-reformers-in-the-great-sense/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Good poetry seems so simple and natural a thing that when we meet it we wonder that all men are not always poets. Poetry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/good-poetry-seems-so-simple-and-natural-a-thing-that-when-we-meet-it/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [All men are poets at heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/all-men-are-poets-at-heart/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [All men are poets at heart. 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I too can see the stars on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/poets-say-science-takes-away-from-the-beauty-of-the-stars-mere-globs-2/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [who would dare think that, forever? Some idiot girl who wouldn’t know how things played out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/who-would-dare-think-that-forever-some-idiot-girl-who-wouldn-t-know/) [Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) > [I'm not trying to counsel any of you to do anything really special except dare to think. And to dare to go with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/i-m-not-trying-to-counsel-any-of-you-to-do-anything-really-special/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [“Dare to think!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/dare-to-think/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [We must dare to think 'unthinkable' thoughts. We must learn to explore all the options and possibilities that confront us in a complex and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/we-must-dare-to-think-unthinkable-thoughts-we-must-learn-to-explore/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [In my family, I would never dare to think of being Paris Hilton! And to me, that doesn't look like a happy existence -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-hewson/in-my-family-i-would-never-dare-to-think-of-being-paris-hilton-and-to/) [Eve Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-hewson/) ## More by Elizabeth Charles > [To know how to say what other people only think, is what makes poets and sages; and to dare to say what others only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-charles/to-know-how-to-say-what-other-people-only-think-is-what-makes-poets/) [Elizabeth Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-charles/) > [When we call on God, he bends down His ear to listen, as a father bends down to listen to his little child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-charles/when-we-call-on-god-he-bends-down-his-ear-to-listen-as-a-father-bends/) [Elizabeth Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-charles/) > [The devil makes a great deal of the religion we see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-charles/the-devil-makes-a-great-deal-of-the-religion-we-see/) [Elizabeth Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-charles/) > [But the way to wealth through the quill seems long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-charles/but-the-way-to-wealth-through-the-quill-seems-long/) [Elizabeth Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-charles/) > [The devil never seems so busy as where the saints are, which is another reason why I feel how difficult it would be to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-charles/the-devil-never-seems-so-busy-as-where-the-saints-are-which-is/) [Elizabeth Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-charles/) > [“One tiny stain on a woman’s reputation was as bad as a lifetime of debauchery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-charles/one-tiny-stain-on-a-woman-s-reputation-was-as-bad-as-a-lifetime-of/) [Elizabeth Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-charles/) > [great inventors and discoverers seem to have made their discoveries and inventions as it were by the way, in the course of their everyday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-charles/great-inventors-and-discoverers-seem-to-have-made-their-discoveries/) [Elizabeth Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-charles/) [Explore all 8 Elizabeth Charles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-charles/) ## More Poetry quotes > [I fell in love with social work, and that was my undoing as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rakosi/i-fell-in-love-with-social-work-and-that-was-my-undoing-as-a-poet/) [Carl Rakosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rakosi/) > [The name Phenomenal Woman was inspired by Maya Angelo, who wrote 'Phenomenal Woman', a favorite poem of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meena-harris/the-name-phenomenal-woman-was-inspired-by-maya-angelo-who-wrote/) [Meena Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meena-harris/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. 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