--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was in Paris at an English-language…" description: "\"I was in Paris at an English-language bookstore. I picked up a volume of Dickinson's poetry. I came back to my hotel, read 2,000 of her poems and immed..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/163/gordon-getty-25317_bookstores_i-was-in-paris-at-an-english-language-bo_1277702.jpg" --- # I was in Paris at an English-language bookstore. I picked… ![“I was in Paris at an English-language bookstore. I picked up a volume of Dickinson's poetry. I came back to my hotel, read 2,000 of her poems and immediately began composing in my head. I wrote down the melodies even before I got to a piano.” quote by Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/163/gordon-getty-25317_bookstores_i-was-in-paris-at-an-english-language-bo_1277702.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/163/gordon-getty-25317_bookstores_i-was-in-paris-at-an-english-language-bo_1277702.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/163/gordon-getty-25317_bookstores_i-was-in-paris-at-an-english-language-bo_1277702.jpg) > “I was in Paris at an English-language bookstore. I picked up a volume of Dickinson's poetry. I came back to my hotel, read 2,000 of her poems and immediately began composing in my head. I wrote down the melodies even before I got to a piano.” [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Immersion in poetry can spark instant creative musical ideas. **In simple terms:** Poetry can inspire music instantly. Key Takeaway Read poetry, let it inspire music. Themes creativity inspiration artistic process Mood reflective inspirational Type creative philosophical When to use this quote - songwriting - musical composition - creative workshops - literary study Key Concepts intertextuality improvisation Questions to Reflect On - How does reading poetry affect your music? - Can you capture poetic rhythm in melody? A Different Perspective Requires musical skill to translate ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bookstores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bookstores/) [English language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-language/) [Hotel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hotel/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Melody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melody/) [Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paris/) [Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) ## Related quotes > [I couldn't sleep one night, and I didn't know what to do, so I came downstairs and started playing the piano. That's when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benson-boone/i-couldn-t-sleep-one-night-and-i-didn-t-know-what-to-do-so-i-came/) [Benson Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benson-boone/) > [I have been in love with Emily Dickinson's poetry since I was 13, and, like an anonymous post on findagrave.com says, 'Dear Emily -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-oyeyemi/i-have-been-in-love-with-emily-dickinson-s-poetry-since-i-was-13-and/) [Helen Oyeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-oyeyemi/) > [I always wrote everything - I wrote all the lyrics, I wrote all the melodies, everything; it's just somebody else sung it. And to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/i-always-wrote-everything-i-wrote-all-the-lyrics-i-wrote-all-the/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [The puzzle and conundrums of Emily Dickinson's poetry or The Cantos, by Ezra Pound, is infinitely pleasurable. Or Ronald Johnson's Ark. And the experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-waldman/the-puzzle-and-conundrums-of-emily-dickinson-s-poetry-or-the-cantos/) [Anne Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-waldman/) > [My style of performance poetry came from the beatniks, Allen Ginsberg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/my-style-of-performance-poetry-came-from-the-beatniks-allen-ginsberg/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“Marcus’s appearance the day before had been discussed, dissected, analyzed, and—by Lady Sarah Pleinsworth, Honoria’s cousin and one of her closest friends —rendered into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/marcus-s-appearance-the-day-before-had-been-discussed-dissected/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [It was at that age that poetry came in search of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/it-was-at-that-age-that-poetry-came-in-search-of-me/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I didn’t look to the shore much after this first long and memorable glimpse. I looked up at Heaven and her court of mythical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-didn-t-look-to-the-shore-much-after-this-first-long-and-memorable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [In the past, poetry came in the form of spells and chants used to effect change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-past-poetry-came-in-the-form-of-spells-and-chants-used-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I began composing works which were imitative of the music I was being told about. I was also very interested in translating the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-flynt/i-began-composing-works-which-were-imitative-of-the-music-i-was-being/) [Henry Flynt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-flynt/) > [When the Second World War broke out, I felt that everyone must do his share, and I began composing songs and marches for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-prokofiev/when-the-second-world-war-broke-out-i-felt-that-everyone-must-do-his/) [Sergei Prokofiev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-prokofiev/) > [“I mentally began composing a list of words that began with F: Frey. Father. False. Friend. Frick. Frack. And some others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-mentally-began-composing-a-list-of-words-that-began-with-f-frey/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I was 7 years old when I began composing. I began composing, improvising at the piano, the usual story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barber/i-was-7-years-old-when-i-began-composing-i-began-composing/) [Samuel Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barber/) > [Since I first fell in love with choral music when I was 18 and began composing at 21, I've been listening to these recordings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-whitacre/since-i-first-fell-in-love-with-choral-music-when-i-was-18-and-began/) [Eric Whitacre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-whitacre/) > [I began composing the next poem, the one that was to be written next. Not the last poem of those I had read, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-erickson/i-began-composing-the-next-poem-the-one-that-was-to-be-written-next/) [Steve Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-erickson/) ## More by Gordon Getty > [I've managed to dodge the curse. Not all my family have. Of course, music helped me - music is all about civilization, about something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/i-ve-managed-to-dodge-the-curse-not-all-my-family-have-of-course/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [I just have to take my chances like any other composer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/i-just-have-to-take-my-chances-like-any-other-composer/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [My music is all about an idealistic human personality. I have 19th-century ideals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/my-music-is-all-about-an-idealistic-human-personality-i-have-19th/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [It's true that I tend to daydream. I'm the same person in business as I am in music: I can be distracted and absentminded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/it-s-true-that-i-tend-to-daydream-i-m-the-same-person-in-business-as/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [I do not think that music keeps evolving. It evolved through Bach; since then, in my humble opinion, all the innovations added nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/i-do-not-think-that-music-keeps-evolving-it-evolved-through-bach/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [I personally do not write highbrow music. If I do, it's by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/i-personally-do-not-write-highbrow-music-if-i-do-it-s-by-accident/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [I've had every advantage in the world, despite the 18 years of silence which were nobody's fault but mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/i-ve-had-every-advantage-in-the-world-despite-the-18-years-of-silence/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [The Getty family has been fully supportive throughout this situation, and for that, I am very grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/the-getty-family-has-been-fully-supportive-throughout-this-situation/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [I want to make the world better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/i-want-to-make-the-world-better/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [There is no change - I'm as deep or as shallow as I ever was. What's new is on-the-job experience. This is what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/there-is-no-change-i-m-as-deep-or-as-shallow-as-i-ever-was-what-s-new/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [Ive managed to dodge the curse. Not all my family have. Of course, music helped me - music is all about civilization, about something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/ive-managed-to-dodge-the-curse-not-all-my-family-have-of-course-music/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [When my opera Plump Jack was performed in 1989, my first piano teacher sent me something that I'd composed when I was four. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/when-my-opera-plump-jack-was-performed-in-1989-my-first-piano-teacher/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [If you have more money than you need, you have to give it away. It's a duty. I get to choose whom to sponsor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/if-you-have-more-money-than-you-need-you-have-to-give-it-away-it-s-a/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [Both parents were very encouraging - especially my father. My father thought the sun rose and set with me. Neither one had a musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/both-parents-were-very-encouraging-especially-my-father-my-father/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [The Getty family has been fully supportive throughout 'double life' situation, and for that, I am very grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/the-getty-family-has-been-fully-supportive-throughout-double-life/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) [Explore all 23 Gordon Getty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) ## More Bookstores quotes > [A man in a bookstore buys a book on loneliness and every woman in the store hits on him. A woman buys a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/a-man-in-a-bookstore-buys-a-book-on-loneliness-and-every-woman-in-the/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“Intercourse is one thing, Intimacy is everything. Be encouraged”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-e-wagner/intercourse-is-one-thing-intimacy-is-everything-be-encouraged/) [Kerry E. Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-e-wagner/) > [Evangelical Christians and I can sit down and talk one on one about how much we love Jesus, and yet I'm not carried in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/evangelical-christians-and-i-can-sit-down-and-talk-one-on-one-about/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [We should all miss bookstores. They let you discover things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-hefner/we-should-all-miss-bookstores-they-let-you-discover-things/) [Christie Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-hefner/) > [My main interest was finding boyfriends. I'd park myself in the bookstore and read with one eye on everyone coming in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-mann/my-main-interest-was-finding-boyfriends-i-d-park-myself-in-the/) [Sally Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-mann/) > [At one time in my career, Barnes and Noble bookstores categorized my books as religious fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/at-one-time-in-my-career-barnes-and-noble-bookstores-categorized-my/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [...bookstores, libraries... they're the closest thing I have to a church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-c-hines/bookstores-libraries-they-re-the-closest-thing-i-have-to-a-church/) [Jim C. Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-c-hines/) > [Here, you can walk into a bookstore and pick up a Bible or Christian literature and learn. Over there, they are lucky if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/here-you-can-walk-into-a-bookstore-and-pick-up-a-bible-or-christian/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [In turbulent times, in times of great change, people head for the two extremes: fundamentalism and personal, spiritual experience...With no membership lists or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naisbitt/in-turbulent-times-in-times-of-great-change-people-head-for-the-two/) [John Naisbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naisbitt/) > [“Judge not the value of a friend by the number of boy- or girlfriends they helped you get. 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Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-p-naughton/) > [“Readership is highly dependent upon format and distribution as much as it is on content.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/readership-is-highly-dependent-upon-format-and-distribution-as-much/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [If Im in the bookstore, and I see a 700-page novel, my first thought is, Ooh, how could you cut this down to size…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-helgeland/if-im-in-the-bookstore-and-i-see-a-700-page-novel-my-first-thought-is/) [Brian Helgeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-helgeland/) > [Out of the closets and into the museums, libraries, architectural monuments, concert halls, bookstores, recording studios and film studios of the world. Everything belongs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/out-of-the-closets-and-into-the-museums-libraries-architectural/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Printed books usually outlive bookstores and the publishers who brought them out. They sit around, demanding nothing, for decades. That's one of their nicest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/printed-books-usually-outlive-bookstores-and-the-publishers-who/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) [Browse all 307 Bookstores quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bookstores/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was in Paris at an English-language bookstore. I picked up a volume of Dickinson's poetry. I came back to my hotel, read 2,000 of her poems and immediately began composing in my head. 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