Art Quote by Galway Kinnell
“I love to go out in late September among the fat, overripe, icy, black blackberries to eat blackberries for breakfast, the stalks very prickly, a penalty they earn for knowing the black art of blackberry-making; and as I stand among them lifting the stalks to my mouth, the ripest berries fall almost unbidden to my tongue, as words sometimes do, certain peculiar words like strengths or squinched, many-lettered, one-syllabled lumps, which I squeeze, squinch open, and splurge well in the silent, startled, icy, black language of blackberry - eating in late September.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: "Blackberries" by Galway Kinnell, 1975
The poem celebrates the tactile, sensory experience of picking ripe blackberries, likening it to the spontaneous arrival of words, and explores the interplay between nature’s bounty and creative expression.
In simple terms: Enjoying nature’s gifts mirrors the surprise of finding the right words.
Key Takeaway
Seek sensory moments to inspire language.
Themes
nature
creativity
sensory
seasonality
language
Mood
reflective
nostalgic
inviting
Type
poetic
descriptive
metaphorical
When to use this quote
- writing inspiration
- culinary exploration
- autumn walks
- mindful eating
- poetic observation
Key Concepts
symbolism
embodiment
metaphor
seasonal cycles
taste
touch
Questions to Reflect On
- How can everyday sensations fuel your writing?
- What words feel as ripe as blackberries?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may overemphasize spontaneity, ignoring the effort behind crafting language.
![“I don't know why people always compare me [ with Amiri Baraka] I was never part of the Black Arts Repertory Theater or the Black Arts Movement; people who claim that I was are wrong. I was downtown. I was living in Chelsea when they were operating in Harlem.” quote by Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2ec/ishmael-reed-7430_art_i-don-t-know-why-people-always-compare-m_1439827.jpg)
