--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great modern heresy in poetry is to…" description: "\"The great modern heresy in poetry is to confuse the use we make of words in a poem with modalities of speech...For true poetry is never speech but alwa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4f/herbert-read-7906_communication_the-great-modern-heresy-in-poetry-is-to_1264340.jpg" --- # The great modern heresy in poetry is to confuse the use we… ![“The great modern heresy in poetry is to confuse the use we make of words in a poem with modalities of speech...For true poetry is never speech but always a song.” quote by Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4f/herbert-read-7906_communication_the-great-modern-heresy-in-poetry-is-to_1264340.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4f/herbert-read-7906_communication_the-great-modern-heresy-in-poetry-is-to_1264340.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4f/herbert-read-7906_communication_the-great-modern-heresy-in-poetry-is-to_1264340.jpg) > “The great modern heresy in poetry is to confuse the use we make of words in a poem with modalities of speech...For true poetry is never speech but always a song.” [Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-read/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True poetry transcends spoken language, existing as music rather than mere speech, emphasizing its artistic depth. **In simple terms:** Poetry is music, not speech. Key Takeaway Listen for the musicality in poetry. Themes art poetry music Mood inspirational thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - reading poetry - creative writing - education Key Concepts aesthetic theory literary criticism Questions to Reflect On - How does this view change your reading? - Can you hear the song in a poem? A Different Perspective Some may view poetry as speech. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Heresy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heresy/) [Heresy Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heresy-poetry-4030360/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Poem Modalities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poem-modalities-4030362/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poetry Confuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-confuse-4030361/) [Poetry is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-is/) [Poetry Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-speech-1131604/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [True Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-poetry-300379/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [The poetry of speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/the-poetry-of-speech/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [That music in itself, whose sounds are song, The poetry of speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/that-music-in-itself-whose-sounds-are-song-the-poetry-of-speech/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [“Poetry's the speech of kings. 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