--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we respected only what is inevitable…" description: "\"If we respected only what is inevitable and has a right to be, music and poetry would resound along the streets.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/henry-david-thoreau-20_ifs_if-we-respected-only-what-is-inevitable_2663398.jpg" --- # If we respected only what is inevitable and has a right to… ![“If we respected only what is inevitable and has a right to be, music and poetry would resound along the streets.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/henry-david-thoreau-20_ifs_if-we-respected-only-what-is-inevitable_2663398.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/henry-david-thoreau-20_ifs_if-we-respected-only-what-is-inevitable_2663398.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/henry-david-thoreau-20_ifs_if-we-respected-only-what-is-inevitable_2663398.jpg) > “If we respected only what is inevitable and has a right to be, music and poetry would resound along the streets.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## 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 suggests that if we only respect what is inevitable, art would dominate public spaces. **In simple terms:** Respecting inevitability would let art fill streets. Key Takeaway Value the inevitable and nurture creativity. Themes art philosophy inevitability Mood inspirational philosophical Type quote observation When to use this quote - urban planning - community values - creative freedom Key Concepts cultural expression public space Questions to Reflect On - What defines what is inevitable? - How can art influence societal norms? A Different Perspective Not all inevitable things are artistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music And Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-and-poetry/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) ## Related quotes > [“If we respected only what is inevitable and has a right to be, music and poetry would resound along the streets. When we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-we-respected-only-what-is-inevitable-and-has-a-right-to-be-music/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I found that it wasn't so oddball to like music and poetry and visual arts, they're kindred spirits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-carter-brown/i-found-that-it-wasn-t-so-oddball-to-like-music-and-poetry-and-visual/) [J. Carter Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-carter-brown/) > [There's a certain line between jokes and music and poetry that's a bit blurred in my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/there-s-a-certain-line-between-jokes-and-music-and-poetry-that-s-a/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I was sensitive to music and poetry, and it was around me growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosanne-cash/i-was-sensitive-to-music-and-poetry-and-it-was-around-me-growing-up/) [Rosanne Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosanne-cash/) > [I love to write music and poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/i-love-to-write-music-and-poetry/) [Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/) > [“Love and Death? What has great music or poetry ever been about, but those twin forces that undo a man?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-and-death-what-has-great-music-or-poetry-ever-been-about-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Music has a poetry of its own, and that poetry is called melody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-logan/music-has-a-poetry-of-its-own-and-that-poetry-is-called-melody/) Joshua Logan > [Spanish and English have such different music, and in my own poetry I feel much less drawn to fluid sounds than I do toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-larkin/spanish-and-english-have-such-different-music-and-in-my-own-poetry-i/) [Joan Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-larkin/) > [Poetry is music in words; and music is poetry in sound: both excellent sauce, but those have lived and died poor, who made them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/poetry-is-music-in-words-and-music-is-poetry-in-sound-both-excellent/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [“Music is the poetry of the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/music-is-the-poetry-of-the-air/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The power of music that poetry lacks is the ability to persuade without argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-matthews/the-power-of-music-that-poetry-lacks-is-the-ability-to-persuade/) [William Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-matthews/) > [As music is the poetry of sound, so is painting the poetry of sight and the subject-matter has nothing to do with harmony of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/as-music-is-the-poetry-of-sound-so-is-painting-the-poetry-of-sight/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [The author's conviction on this day of New Year is that music begins to atrophy whenit departs too far from the dance; that poetry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-author-s-conviction-on-this-day-of-new-year-is-that-music-begins-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is always fatal to have music or poetry interrupted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/it-is-always-fatal-to-have-music-or-poetry-interrupted/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [The author's conviction on this day of New Year is that music begins to atrophy when it departs too far from the dance; that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/the-author-s-conviction-on-this-day-of-new-year-is-that-music-begins/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. 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