--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Both poet and painter want to reach the…" description: "\"Both poet and painter want to reach the silence behind the language, the silence within the language. Both painter and poet want their work to shine no..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/howard-nemerov-12728_behinds_both-poet-and-painter-want-to-reach-the_311741.jpg" --- # Both poet and painter want to reach the silence behind the… ![“Both poet and painter want to reach the silence behind the language, the silence within the language. Both painter and poet want their work to shine not only in daylight but (by whatever illusionist magic) from within.” quote by Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/howard-nemerov-12728_behinds_both-poet-and-painter-want-to-reach-the_311741.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/howard-nemerov-12728_behinds_both-poet-and-painter-want-to-reach-the_311741.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/howard-nemerov-12728_behinds_both-poet-and-painter-want-to-reach-the_311741.jpg) > “Both poet and painter want to reach the silence behind the language, the silence within the language. Both painter and poet want their work to shine not only in daylight but (by whatever illusionist magic) from within.” [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists seek a quiet core beyond words, a hidden resonance that shines from within the work itself. **In simple terms:** Artists look for inner quiet that makes art glow. Key Takeaway Cultivate depth, not just surface appeal. Themes art creativity silence inner truth Mood contemplative inspired introspective Type philosophical artistic reflective When to use this quote - painting - poetry - creative writing - visual arts - mindfulness Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy metaphor self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - How can you reveal inner quiet in your work? - What practices help you hear the silence behind language? A Different Perspective The silence may be elusive and hard to convey to audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Daylight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daylight/) [Illusionists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusionists/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Shining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shining/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ## Related quotes > [A poet is a painter of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-d-israeli/a-poet-is-a-painter-of-the-soul/) [Isaac D'Israeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-d-israeli/) > [“If Roberts had been a poet or a painter or a musician; we might have had a masterpiece. As he was neither: we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-machen/if-roberts-had-been-a-poet-or-a-painter-or-a-musician-we-might-have/) [arthur machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-machen/) > [The poet and the painter are only truly great by the mutual influences of their studies, and the jealousy of glory has only produced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-d-israeli/the-poet-and-the-painter-are-only-truly-great-by-the-mutual/) [Isaac D'Israeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-d-israeli/) > [A poet is a painter in his way, he draws to the life, but in another kind; we draw the nobler part, the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aphra-behn/a-poet-is-a-painter-in-his-way-he-draws-to-the-life-but-in-another/) [Aphra Behn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aphra-behn/) > [“I shall be your poet! I do not want to be a poet for others; make your appearance, and I shall be your poet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-shall-be-your-poet-i-do-not-want-to-be-a-poet-for-others-make-your/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“Don’t go to sleep one night, wrote Rūmī, the thirteenth-century Persian poet. What you most want will come to you then.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-knight/don-t-go-to-sleep-one-night-wrote-r-m-the-thirteenth-century-persian/) [Phil Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-knight/) > [It's a big thing to call yourself a poet. All I can say is that I have always written poems. I don't think I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/it-s-a-big-thing-to-call-yourself-a-poet-all-i-can-say-is-that-i-have/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [“Don't tell anyone I'm a poet; they might want me to write a book. Don't tell 'em I can sing, or they'd want me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/don-t-tell-anyone-i-m-a-poet-they-might-want-me-to-write-a-book-don-t/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [In the arts, in places where you're not going to save lives or save species, I think there's no reason to play ball. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-burt/in-the-arts-in-places-where-you-re-not-going-to-save-lives-or-save/) [Stephen Burt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-burt/) > [“Silence has its own language and in that silence he found words within himself; words for her, words for him and words for them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faraaz-kazi/silence-has-its-own-language-and-in-that-silence-he-found-words/) [Faraaz Kazi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faraaz-kazi/) > [We switch to another language-- not our invented language or the language we've learned from our lives. As we walk further up the mountain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-switch-to-another-language-not-our-invented-language-or-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [When one remains without thinking one understands another by means of the universal language of Silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/when-one-remains-without-thinking-one-understands-another-by-means-of/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [God's first language is Silence. Everything else is a translation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keating/god-s-first-language-is-silence-everything-else-is-a-translation/) [Thomas Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keating/) > [“Only those who don't know the language of silence - express in words!” ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-pemmaraju/only-those-who-don-t-know-the-language-of-silence-express-in-words/) [Ramana Pemmaraju](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-pemmaraju/) > [Too many women in too many countries speak the same language, of silence...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/too-many-women-in-too-many-countries-speak-the-same-language-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Howard Nemerov > [A chronicle is very different from history proper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/a-chronicle-is-very-different-from-history-proper/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [When Robert Frost was alive, I was known as the other new England poet, which is to be barely known at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/when-robert-frost-was-alive-i-was-known-as-the-other-new-england-poet/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [I've never read a political poem that's accomplished anything. Poetry makes things happen, but rarely what the poet wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/i-ve-never-read-a-political-poem-that-s-accomplished-anything-poetry/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [When you write it doesn't occur to you that somebody could think different from what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/when-you-write-it-doesn-t-occur-to-you-that-somebody-could-think/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [Occasionally a student writer comes up with something really beautiful and moving, and you won't know for years if it was an accident or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/occasionally-a-student-writer-comes-up-with-something-really/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [I like all my children, even the squat and ugly ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/i-like-all-my-children-even-the-squat-and-ugly-ones/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [It may be said that poems are in one way like icebergs: only about a third of their bulk appears above the surface of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/it-may-be-said-that-poems-are-in-one-way-like-icebergs-only-about-a/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [Obvious enough that generalities work to protect the mind from the great outdoors; is it possible that this was in fact their first purpose?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/obvious-enough-that-generalities-work-to-protect-the-mind-from-the/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [I sometimes talk about the making of a poem within the poem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/i-sometimes-talk-about-the-making-of-a-poem-within-the-poem/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [When in still air and still in summertime A leaf has had enough of this, it seems To make up its mind to go;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/when-in-still-air-and-still-in-summertime-a-leaf-has-had-enough-of/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [A lot happens by accident in poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/a-lot-happens-by-accident-in-poetry/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [I have a plot, but not much happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/i-have-a-plot-but-not-much-happens/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [Robert Frost had always said you mustn't think of the last line first, or it's only a fake poem, not a real one. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/robert-frost-had-always-said-you-mustn-t-think-of-the-last-line-first/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [Till I, high in the tower of my time Among familiar ruins, began to cry For accident, sickness, justice, war and crime, Because all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/till-i-high-in-the-tower-of-my-time-among-familiar-ruins-began-to-cry/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [I never abandoned either forms or freedom. I imagine that most of what could be called free verse is in my first book. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/i-never-abandoned-either-forms-or-freedom-i-imagine-that-most-of-what/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) [Explore all 52 Howard Nemerov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Both poet and painter want to reach the silence behind the language, the silence within the language. Both painter and poet want their work to shine not only in daylight but (by whatever illusionist magic) from within.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Howard Nemerov" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/both-poet-and-painter-want-to-reach-the-silence-behind-the-language/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/both-poet-and-painter-want-to-reach-the-silence-behind-the-language/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/howard-nemerov-12728_behinds_both-poet-and-painter-want-to-reach-the_311741.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/howard-nemerov-12728_behinds_both-poet-and-painter-want-to-reach-the_311741.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/369/howard-nemerov-12728_behinds_both-poet-and-painter-want-to-reach-the_311741.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Both poet and painter want to reach the silence behind the language, the silence within the language. Both…” — Howard Nemerov", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Howard Nemerov", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Both poet and painter want to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/both-poet-and-painter-want-to-reach-the-silence-behind-the-language/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/both-poet-and-painter-want-to-reach-the-silence-behind-the-language/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```