--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are few things in this life more…" description: "\"“There are few things in this life more bamboo-under-fingernails than good poetry read aloud badly-unless it is bad poetry read aloud badly.”\" — Josh L..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7f/josh-lanyon-1827_badly_there-are-few-things-in-this-life-more-b_2001130.png" --- # There are few things in this life more… ![“There are few things in this life more bamboo-under-fingernails than good poetry read aloud badly-unless it is bad poetry read aloud badly.” quote by Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7f/josh-lanyon-1827_badly_there-are-few-things-in-this-life-more-b_2001130.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7f/josh-lanyon-1827_badly_there-are-few-things-in-this-life-more-b_2001130.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7f/josh-lanyon-1827_badly_there-are-few-things-in-this-life-more-b_2001130.png) > ““There are few things in this life more bamboo-under-fingernails than good poetry read aloud badly-unless it is bad poetry read aloud badly.”” [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) ## 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 humorously compares the pain of hearing good poetry read badly to the discomfort of bad poetry read badly, implying both are unpleasant. **In simple terms:** Badly read poetry is painful. Key Takeaway Practice reading poetry aloud clearly. Themes poetry performance communication aesthetics Mood ironic humorous Type observational commentary When to use this quote - recitals - teaching poetry - public speaking - literary events Key Concepts literary criticism public speaking audience perception Questions to Reflect On - How does delivery affect poetic impact? - What can improve a reading? A Different Perspective Not everyone can convey poetry well without training. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aloud Badly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aloud-badly-3521633/) [Bad Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-poetry-273828/) [Badly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/badly/) [Good poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-poetry/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poetry Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-read-585689/) ## Related quotes > [I had nothing but time on my hands. That's when it became, 'Quan, what are you good at?' Poetry... 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Bad poets publish them, good poets burn them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/all-poets-write-bad-poetry-bad-poets-publish-them-good-poets-burn-them/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [I've inherited the bad poetry genes, but not the inventor genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-harington/i-ve-inherited-the-bad-poetry-genes-but-not-the-inventor-genes/) [Kit Harington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-harington/) > [I ended up becoming a playwright because you can be grammatically incorrect: people speaking in bad poetry or people attempting to speak well and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-baker/i-ended-up-becoming-a-playwright-because-you-can-be-grammatically/) [Annie Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-baker/) > [Reading the very best writers—let us say Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, Tolstoy—is not going to make us better citizens. 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Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Michel Aflaq - is bad poetry wrapped in the guise of utopian politics, or great poetry wrapped in the guise of horrible politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-colla/michel-aflaq-is-bad-poetry-wrapped-in-the-guise-of-utopian-politics/) [Elliott Colla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-colla/) > [You know, bad poetry I wrote in high school can still be found on the Internet, and, you know, there's a Web log of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/you-know-bad-poetry-i-wrote-in-high-school-can-still-be-found-on-the/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [“So while I drove my little and planned his fantasy night of how I was going to give Otter the key to my soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-klune/so-while-i-drove-my-little-and-planned-his-fantasy-night-of-how-i-was/) [T.J. Klune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-klune/) > [“Mad Olia had a lot to say, and most of it was nonsensical, if it could be understood at all. Like bad poetry spoken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/mad-olia-had-a-lot-to-say-and-most-of-it-was-nonsensical-if-it-could/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [Poetry -- even bad poetry -- may be our final hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/poetry-even-bad-poetry-may-be-our-final-hope/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“Because you fight it out, and stumble, and write bad poetry, and pick yourself up again, and at the end, hopefully, someday youre sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-bloss/because-you-fight-it-out-and-stumble-and-write-bad-poetry-and-pick/) [Josie Bloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-bloss/) > [One can be well-bred and write bad poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/one-can-be-well-bred-and-write-bad-poetry/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) ## More by Josh Lanyon > [“Emma sat up very straight in the saddle. Her eyes were huge, but she said bravely, “I could do it!” “I know you can.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/emma-sat-up-very-straight-in-the-saddle-her-eyes-were-huge-but-she/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“Max's scarred brow crinkled. He reached for the coffee mug on his desk. “Motive is tricky. See, what might be a good reason for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/max-s-scarred-brow-crinkled-he-reached-for-the-coffee-mug-on-his-desk/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“It was nearly five before Jake walked in. He was sunburnt, wet, and smelled faintly of fish. Sexy as hell. Don’t ask me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/it-was-nearly-five-before-jake-walked-in-he-was-sunburnt-wet-and/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“Law enforcement hardened you. It made you cynical about people. Even people you loved. The people who deserved your unconditional trust.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/law-enforcement-hardened-you-it-made-you-cynical-about-people-even/) [josh lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [Drink your coffee -- people in Africa are sleeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/drink-your-coffee-people-in-africa-are-sleeping/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“So you're like a ... an amateur sleuth?" "God no. I'm more like the hapless guys in those film-noir flicks we used to watch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/so-you-re-like-a-an-amateur-sleuth-god-no-i-m-more-like-the-hapless/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“ 'You know what I thought the first time I saw you?' 'No.' 'Point of no return.' ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/you-know-what-i-thought-the-first-time-i-saw-you-no-point-of-no-return/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [Jake's mouth found mine, his lips molding hot and soft to my own. His tongue tentatively tested the seal of my lips; I parted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/jake-s-mouth-found-mine-his-lips-molding-hot-and-soft-to-my-own-his/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [He needed fresh air and sunshine. A walk in the woods and afterward a good book to read by the fire. Yeah, that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/he-needed-fresh-air-and-sunshine-a-walk-in-the-woods-and-afterward-a/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [I love you," Jake whispered. "Are you strong enough for this?" I made myself comfortable. Said over my shoulder, "Sure." "Would you tell me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/i-love-you-jake-whispered-are-you-strong-enough-for-this-i-made/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [Kit, you're forty. You look thirty. You act...well, never mind. You're carrying on like you think you're seventy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/kit-you-re-forty-you-look-thirty-you-act-well-never-mind-you-re/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“That's one of the oldest tricks in the world, Adrien-with-an-e.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/that-s-one-of-the-oldest-tricks-in-the-world-adrien-with-an-e/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“You're Professor Mills? The new one who teaches history?" As opposed to the old Professor Mills who preached overthrow of the government?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/you-re-professor-mills-the-new-one-who-teaches-history-as-opposed-to/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [He never lied to me. I just didn't ask the questions I didn't want to know the answers to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/he-never-lied-to-me-i-just-didn-t-ask-the-questions-i-didn-t-want-to/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [“If there was one thing I learned in the last twenty-four hours, it was how short life is – how long death – and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/if-there-was-one-thing-i-learned-in-the-last-twenty-four-hours-it-was/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) [Explore all 203 Josh Lanyon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) ## More Badly quotes > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [There are two ways of knowing if something ends badly: If you're honest with yourself, you just kind of know it. And then there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-gilligan/there-are-two-ways-of-knowing-if-something-ends-badly-if-you-re/) [Vince Gilligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-gilligan/) > [I'm talking to anyone who has been dumped - have not gotten the job you really wanted or have received those horrible rejection letters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/i-m-talking-to-anyone-who-has-been-dumped-have-not-gotten-the-job-you/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [“Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/anything-worth-doing-is-worth-doing-badly/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [You can have everything you want as long as you don't want it badly enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/you-can-have-everything-you-want-as-long-as-you-don-t-want-it-badly/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [I was turning up at sets where inexperienced people were making these badly written films - but they were doing it; that was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-fletcher/i-was-turning-up-at-sets-where-inexperienced-people-were-making-these/) [Dexter Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-fletcher/) > [In an era when party fundraising is badly tainted, dinners are a really good way of raising cash for campaigning. Lots of people giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/in-an-era-when-party-fundraising-is-badly-tainted-dinners-are-a/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [I love pushing my boundaries and seeing how far I can go without, you know, dying or injuring myself too badly. On set I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-grammer/i-love-pushing-my-boundaries-and-seeing-how-far-i-can-go-without-you/) [Spencer Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-grammer/) > [Trump spoke badly about women... It sparked worldwide reactions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-chandrababu-naidu/trump-spoke-badly-about-women-it-sparked-worldwide-reactions/) [N. 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And yet when he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bono/mandela-s-heroism-is-the-heroism-of-a-man-who-suffered-so-badly-for/) [Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bono/) > [Some fighters had blinding speed and reflexes in their heyday but faded badly with age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/some-fighters-had-blinding-speed-and-reflexes-in-their-heyday-but/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [“the only sin on earth was to do things badly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-only-sin-on-earth-was-to-do-things-badly/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) [Browse all 351 Badly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/badly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There are few things in this life more bamboo-under-fingernails than good poetry read aloud badly-unless it is bad poetry read aloud badly.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Josh Lanyon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/there-are-few-things-in-this-life-more-bamboo-under-fingernails-than/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Badly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/there-are-few-things-in-this-life-more-bamboo-under-fingernails-than/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7f/josh-lanyon-1827_badly_there-are-few-things-in-this-life-more-b_2001130.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7f/josh-lanyon-1827_badly_there-are-few-things-in-this-life-more-b_2001130.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7f/josh-lanyon-1827_badly_there-are-few-things-in-this-life-more-b_2001130.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are few things in this life more bamboo-under-fingernails than good poetry read aloud badly-unless it…” — Josh Lanyon", "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": "Josh Lanyon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There are few things in this...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/there-are-few-things-in-this-life-more-bamboo-under-fingernails-than/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/there-are-few-things-in-this-life-more-bamboo-under-fingernails-than/#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 } } ] } ```