Coleridge Quote by Peter Redgrove
““His (Samuel Coleridge) dark senses were constantly in play, the frustration of them bringing illness. Weather and organic nature combined in a synaesthetic multi-media event, and this was the ground of all perception before it was divded up in daily living: the Primary Imagination giving way to the Secondary. Poetry was forever seeking a conscious return to this state, which existed all the time, whether he knew it or not.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Poetics of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, analysis Redgrove, 1975
The quote describes how Coleridge's deep, sensory imagination blends nature and feeling, forming the basis of perception before everyday life divides it, and how poetry strives to return to that unified state.
In simple terms: Coleridge's imagination mixes nature and feeling, forming perception; poetry seeks that unity.
Key Takeaway
Seek to reconnect with raw, unfiltered perception.
Themes
imagination
perception
poetry
creativity
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- art criticism
- mindfulness practice
Key Concepts
synaesthetic experience
primary imagination
secondary imagination
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you experience a unified perception in daily life?
- What practices help access the primary imagination?
A Different Perspective
The concept of a unified perception is abstract and hard to apply practically.
