--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once a poet always a poet, and even…" description: "\"Once a poet always a poet, and even though I haven't written poems for a long time, I can nonetheless say that everything I've ever learned about writi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/jack-driscoll-30323_drama_once-a-poet-always-a-poet-and-even-thoug_367150.jpg" --- # Once a poet always a poet, and even though I haven't… ![“Once a poet always a poet, and even though I haven't written poems for a long time, I can nonetheless say that everything I've ever learned about writing lyrical fiction has been informed by three decades of writing in lines and stanzas. For me the real drama of fiction is almost always the drama…” quote by Jack Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/jack-driscoll-30323_drama_once-a-poet-always-a-poet-and-even-thoug_367150.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/jack-driscoll-30323_drama_once-a-poet-always-a-poet-and-even-thoug_367150.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/jack-driscoll-30323_drama_once-a-poet-always-a-poet-and-even-thoug_367150.jpg) > “Once a poet always a poet, and even though I haven't written poems for a long time, I can nonetheless say that everything I've ever learned about writing lyrical fiction has been informed by three decades of writing in lines and stanzas. For me the real drama of fiction is almost always the drama of the language.” [Jack Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-driscoll/) ## 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 emphasizes that a poet's identity endures and that mastery of lyrical fiction stems from decades of crafting language, making language itself the core drama of storytelling. **In simple terms:** Poetry shapes fiction; language is the drama. Key Takeaway Embrace language as the heart of your stories. Themes writing identity language drama craft Mood reflective inspired Type observational inspirational When to use this quote - Writing workshops - creative writing classes - personal reflection - editing sessions Key Concepts Poetics Narrative theory Skill development Questions to Reflect On - How does your language practice influence plot? - Can language alone sustain a narrative? A Different Perspective The quote may overlook the importance of plot and character beyond language. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Lyrical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyrical/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Sophie does more of the writing, lyrical stuff; I do more of the sitting at the computer and the board stuff. But it blurs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-halpern/sophie-does-more-of-the-writing-lyrical-stuff-i-do-more-of-the/) [Tucker Halpern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-halpern/) > [“Although I've written a few (a very few) poems over the years, I am not a natural poet...and I remain in awe of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-windling/although-i-ve-written-a-few-a-very-few-poems-over-the-years-i-am-not/) [Terri Windling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-windling/) > [I was surprised and laugh when I found my childhood written poems, one line was I like saving cash coins or money, but sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhaj-porras/i-was-surprised-and-laugh-when-i-found-my-childhood-written-poems-one/) [Mhaj Porras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhaj-porras/) > [I've written poems about gifts. 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I'm not trying to make any statement or anything like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/girl-talk/anytime-there-is-any-lyrical-meaning-or-combination-in-my-mixes-it-s/) [Girl Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/girl-talk/) > [All lyrical work must, as a whole, be perfectly intelligible, but in some particulars a little unintelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/all-lyrical-work-must-as-a-whole-be-perfectly-intelligible-but-in/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## More by Jack Driscoll > [Jose Ortega y Gasset says, "Tell me the landscape in which you live, and I will tell you who you are." Asserting that character/community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-driscoll/jose-ortega-y-gasset-says-tell-me-the-landscape-in-which-you-live-and/) [Jack Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-driscoll/) > [I joke sometimes that I live a protracted adolescence, that a part of me will always be twelve years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-driscoll/i-joke-sometimes-that-i-live-a-protracted-adolescence-that-a-part-of/) [Jack Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-driscoll/) > [Actors! 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I sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-driscoll/i-began-as-a-poet-moved-to-short-fiction-then-to-novel-writing-and/) [Jack Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-driscoll/) > [I am by nature not a list-keeper, but I do keep lists of names and add at least one or two every single day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-driscoll/i-am-by-nature-not-a-list-keeper-but-i-do-keep-lists-of-names-and-add/) [Jack Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-driscoll/) > [When Robert Bly visited Interlochen Center for the Arts so many years ago, he spoke to the creative writing majors and said, "The eye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-driscoll/when-robert-bly-visited-interlochen-center-for-the-arts-so-many-years/) [Jack Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-driscoll/) > [If I don't read, I get lonely. If I don't write, I forget who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-driscoll/if-i-don-t-read-i-get-lonely-if-i-don-t-write-i-forget-who-i-am/) [Jack Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-driscoll/) > [I was once referred to in a Kirkus review as a "northern Michigan version of Andre Dubus." My editor called me after the review…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-driscoll/i-was-once-referred-to-in-a-kirkus-review-as-a-northern-michigan/) [Jack Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-driscoll/) > [First of all, I don't think of myself as a northern Michigan writer. I think of myself as an American writer who happens -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-driscoll/first-of-all-i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-a-northern-michigan-writer-i/) [Jack Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-driscoll/) > [Compassion is the belief that things might improve, and even when there's little, if anything, to sustain and engender that belief. It's the place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-driscoll/compassion-is-the-belief-that-things-might-improve-and-even-when/) [Jack Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-driscoll/) [Explore all 17 Jack Driscoll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-driscoll/) ## More Drama quotes > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [Music is a job, but I figured out ways to get my mind into a place where I could be creative. I actually discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/music-is-a-job-but-i-figured-out-ways-to-get-my-mind-into-a-place/) [Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [All drama is conflict. Without conflict, there is no action. Without action, there is no character. Without character, there is no story. And without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-field/all-drama-is-conflict-without-conflict-there-is-no-action-without/) [Syd Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-field/) > [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/) [Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/) > [I never wanted to be the lead on a TV drama. It just robs you of your life, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-noth/i-never-wanted-to-be-the-lead-on-a-tv-drama-it-just-robs-you-of-your/) [Chris Noth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-noth/) > [When I discovered drama, I felt a connection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-fearon/when-i-discovered-drama-i-felt-a-connection/) [Ray Fearon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-fearon/) > [Dont hate me cause ur man want me dont be jealouse cause hes thinking of when he says he loves u dont hate him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/dont-hate-me-cause-ur-man-want-me-dont-be-jealouse-cause-hes-thinking/) [Ana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/) > [I hadn't been to drama school. 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