Attainment Quote by Laura Riding
“When ... I comprehended that poetry had no provision in it for ultimate practical attainment of the rightness of work that is truth, but led on ever only to a temporizing less- than-truth ... I stopped.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Collected Poems of Laura Riding, 1978
Poetry offers insight but cannot directly achieve practical truth in work; it merely points toward a temporary, less‑than‑truth understanding.
In simple terms: Poetry guides but doesn’t solve work truth.
Accept poetry’s limits; seek practical truth elsewhere.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- academic research
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can poetic insight be applied practically?
- When is poetic reflection sufficient?
Poetry may inspire but cannot replace concrete action.