--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's possible, in a poem or short story…" description: "\"It's possible, in a poem or short story, to write about commonplace things and objects using commonplace but precise language, and to endow those thing..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/raymond-carver-2821_chairs_it-s-possible-in-a-poem-or-short-story-t_855830.png" --- # It's possible, in a poem or short story, to write about… ![“It's possible, in a poem or short story, to write about commonplace things and objects using commonplace but precise language, and to endow those things—a chair, a window curtain, a fork, a stone, a woman's earring—with immense, even startling power.” quote by Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/raymond-carver-2821_chairs_it-s-possible-in-a-poem-or-short-story-t_855830.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/raymond-carver-2821_chairs_it-s-possible-in-a-poem-or-short-story-t_855830.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/raymond-carver-2821_chairs_it-s-possible-in-a-poem-or-short-story-t_855830.png) > “It's possible, in a poem or short story, to write about commonplace things and objects using commonplace but precise language, and to endow those things—a chair, a window curtain, a fork, a stone, a woman's earring—with immense, even startling power.” [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ordinary objects become powerful when described with precise, vivid language, revealing deeper significance. **In simple terms:** Simple language can give everyday things great impact. Key Takeaway Use precise detail to elevate the mundane. Themes writing ob detail Mood thoughtful inspired Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - creative writing - teaching literature - personal reflection - marketing copy Key Concepts Literary technique symbolism imagery Questions to Reflect On - How can precise language change perception? - What objects hold hidden stories for you? A Different Perspective May overlook subtlety for novelty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Insightful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insightful/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Short story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-story/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“It's possible, in a poem or a short story, to write about commonplace things and objects using commonplace but precise language, and to endow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/it-s-possible-in-a-poem-or-a-short-story-to-write-about-commonplace/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [It is no easy matter to say commonplace things in an original way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/it-is-no-easy-matter-to-say-commonplace-things-in-an-original-way/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [I get inspiration, a lot of times, from very commonplace things that just strike a chord and develop themselves in the subconscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-get-inspiration-a-lot-of-times-from-very-commonplace-things-that/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Every person has a secret inventory of "things". I call them objects of attachment - things that refuse to be forgotten. Perhaps it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-warner/every-person-has-a-secret-inventory-of-things-i-call-them-objects-of/) Jesse Warner > [Life seems so vulgar, so easily content with the commonplace things of every day, and yet it always nurses and cherishes certain higher claims…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/life-seems-so-vulgar-so-easily-content-with-the-commonplace-things-of/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I like poor materials. I couldn't see myself making a bronze sculpture - it's not me. I like neon, because it's moving constantly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-emin/i-like-poor-materials-i-couldn-t-see-myself-making-a-bronze-sculpture/) [Tracey Emin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-emin/) > [ Object-oriented programming aficionados think that everything is an object… this \[isn't\] so. There are things that are objects. Things that have state and change… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-stepanov/object-oriented-programming-aficionados-think-that-everything-is-an/) [Alexander Stepanov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-stepanov/) > [She serves me a piece of it a few minutes out of the oven. A little steam rises from the slits on top. Sugar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/she-serves-me-a-piece-of-it-a-few-minutes-out-of-the-oven-a-little/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [Blaming guns for murder is like blaming forks for obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/blaming-guns-for-murder-is-like-blaming-forks-for-obesity/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [This is really good,” Donovan Caine said, attacking his third strawberry pancake. “You sound surprised,” I said. He shrugged. “I just didn’t think an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/this-is-really-good-donovan-caine-said-attacking-his-third-strawberry/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [If you see someone lying out knives and forks consistently, but then one day those knives and forks become weapons you're not sure if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/if-you-see-someone-lying-out-knives-and-forks-consistently-but-then/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [When it comes to forks in the road, your heart always knows the answer, not your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/when-it-comes-to-forks-in-the-road-your-heart-always-knows-the-answer/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [A language possesses utility only insofar as it can construct conventional boundaries. A language of no boundaries is no language at all, and thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/a-language-possesses-utility-only-insofar-as-it-can-construct/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) > [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More by Raymond Carver > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [My heart is broken,” she goes. “It’s turned to a piece of stone. I’m no good. That’s what’s as bad as anything, that I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/my-heart-is-broken-she-goes-it-s-turned-to-a-piece-of-stone-i-m-no/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [“You sound like a nice man,” the woman said. “Do I? Well, that’s nice of you to say.” He knew he should hang up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/you-sound-like-a-nice-man-the-woman-said-do-i-well-that-s-nice-of-you/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [Life and death matters, yes. And the question of how to behave in this world, how to go in the face of everything. Time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/life-and-death-matters-yes-and-the-question-of-how-to-behave-in-this/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [The places where water comes together with other water. Those places stand out in my mind like holy places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/the-places-where-water-comes-together-with-other-water-those-places/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [A man can go along obeying all the rules and then it don't matter a damn anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/a-man-can-go-along-obeying-all-the-rules-and-then-it-don-t-matter-a/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [“You see, this happened a few months ago, but it's still going on right now, and it ought to make us feel ashamed when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/you-see-this-happened-a-few-months-ago-but-it-s-still-going-on-right/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I've crossed some kind of invisible line. I feel as if I've come to a place I never thought I'd have to come to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/i-ve-crossed-some-kind-of-invisible-line-i-feel-as-if-i-ve-come-to-a/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [Art doesn't have to do anything. It just has to be there for the fierce pleasure we take in doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/art-doesn-t-have-to-do-anything-it-just-has-to-be-there-for-the/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [“But here is the thing. When he gets on me, I suddenly feel I am fat. I feel am terrifically fat, so fat that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/but-here-is-the-thing-when-he-gets-on-me-i-suddenly-feel-i-am-fat-i/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [There are significant moments in everyone's day that can make literature. 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Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/it-s-strange-you-never-start-out-life-with-the-intention-of-becoming/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I am a cigarette with a body attached to it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/i-am-a-cigarette-with-a-body-attached-to-it/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) [Explore all 134 Raymond Carver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) ## More Chairs quotes > [“Yes, when I get big and have my own home, no plush chairs and lace curtains for me. And no rubber plants. 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Forget the Iron Maiden. Forget the electric chair or the guillotine. The mind was mankind's most painful torture chamber, the blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/forget-the-noose-forget-the-iron-maiden-forget-the-electric-chair-or/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [I thought being in the wheelchair might be kind of limiting for me as an actor. It turned out cool in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/i-thought-being-in-the-wheelchair-might-be-kind-of-limiting-for-me-as/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [Now know I well what people sought formerly above all else when they sought Teachers of virtue. Good sleep they sought for themselves, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/now-know-i-well-what-people-sought-formerly-above-all-else-when-they/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Keelhaul the poets in the vestry chairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-shapiro/keelhaul-the-poets-in-the-vestry-chairs/) [Karl Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-shapiro/) > [He's earned all his money himself, with his fists. He didn't steal it like the rest of our politicians. And he'll be less tempted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitali-klitschko/he-s-earned-all-his-money-himself-with-his-fists-he-didn-t-steal-it/) [Vitali Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitali-klitschko/) > [Dentists tell you not to pick your teeth with any sharp metal object. Then you sit in their chair and the first thing they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/dentists-tell-you-not-to-pick-your-teeth-with-any-sharp-metal-object/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [Once I was in a restaurant and I dropped my fork on the floor, and they gave me a new fork. So I pushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/once-i-was-in-a-restaurant-and-i-dropped-my-fork-on-the-floor-and/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I'm not a big hijinker. 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He had also eaten part of Mom's maidenhair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/of-course-when-we-got-home-we-found-that-dagda-had-peed-on-my-down/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) Browse all 1,120 Chairs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's possible, in a poem or short story, to write about commonplace things and objects using commonplace but precise language, and to endow those things—a chair, a window curtain, a fork, a stone, a woman's earring—with immense, even startling power.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Raymond Carver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/it-s-possible-in-a-poem-or-short-story-to-write-about-commonplace/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chairs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/it-s-possible-in-a-poem-or-short-story-to-write-about-commonplace/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/raymond-carver-2821_chairs_it-s-possible-in-a-poem-or-short-story-t_855830.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/raymond-carver-2821_chairs_it-s-possible-in-a-poem-or-short-story-t_855830.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/raymond-carver-2821_chairs_it-s-possible-in-a-poem-or-short-story-t_855830.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's possible, in a poem or short story, to write about commonplace things and objects using commonplace but…” — Raymond Carver", "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": "Raymond Carver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's possible, in a poem or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/it-s-possible-in-a-poem-or-short-story-to-write-about-commonplace/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/it-s-possible-in-a-poem-or-short-story-to-write-about-commonplace/#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 } } ] } ```