Believe Quote by Maurice Sendak
“You know who my gods are, who I believe in fervently? Herman Melville, Emily Dickinson - she's probably the top - Mozart, Shakespeare, Keats. These are wonderful gods who have gotten me through the narrow straits of life.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Art of Inspiration, 2015
The speaker lists revered artists and writers as personal deities that guide and sustain them through life's challenges.
In simple terms: Great artists serve as personal guides.
Key Takeaway
Seek inspiration from admired creators.
Themes
inspiration
literature
music
personal belief
Mood
admiring
introspective
Type
literary
personal
When to use this quote
- writing
- studying poetry
- listening to classical music
- creative problem solving
Key Concepts
canon formation
cultural influence
spirituality
Questions to Reflect On
- Which creators truly reflect your values?
- How can you become your own source of inspiration?
A Different Perspective
Relying on external idols may limit personal agency.
![“...it’s worth pointing out that [Herman Melville] worked in [the New York Custom House] as a deputy customs inspector between 1866 and 1885. Nineteen years, and he never got a raise - four dollars a day, six days a week. He was by then a washed-up writer, forgotten and poor. I used to find this…” quote by Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/de7/sarah-vowell-2016_gilded-age_it-s-worth-pointing-out-that-herman-melv_1754176.jpg)
