Marriage Quote by W.S. Merwin
““We begin to say something that cannot be said. When you see on the front page a woman in Iraq who's just seen her husband blown up, you see her there, her mouth wide open, you know the sound coming out of her, a howl of grief and pain -- that's the beginning of language. Trying to express that, it's inexpressible, and poetry is really to say what can't be said. And that's why people turn to it in these moments. They don't know how to say this, [but] part of them feels that maybe a poem will say it. It won't say it, but it'll come closer to saying it than anything else will. I think there are always two sides, and one of them is the unsayable. The utterly singular. Who you are; who you can never tell anybody. And on the other hand, there is what you can express. How do we know about this thing we talk about? Because we talk about it. We're using words. And the words never say it, but the words are all we have to say it.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Poetry and Language, 2005
Language attempts to capture the inexpressible grief and singular experience, using poetry as a bridge toward the unsayable.
In simple terms: Poetry tries to voice what cannot be fully said.
Key Takeaway
Embrace poetry to approach the unspeakable.
Themes
grief
expression
language
poetry
human experience
Mood
somber
reflective
hopeful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- war trauma
- personal loss
- creative writing
- therapy
- public speaking
Key Concepts
unsayable
singularity
communication
empathy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we honor the unspeakable in everyday conversation?
- What role does art play in processing trauma?
A Different Perspective
Poetry may never fully convey the depth of feeling.
![“[Poem II] I wake up in your bed. I know I have been dreaming. Much earlier, the alarm broke us from each other, you’ve been at your desk for hours. I know what I dreamed: our friend the poet comes into my room where I’ve been writing for days, drafts, carbons, poems are scattered everywhere, and I…” quote by Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/402/adrienne-rich-803_long-way_poem-ii-i-wake-up-in-your-bed-i-know-i-h_1124584.jpg)
![“The thing that makes poetry different from all other arts [is that] you're using language, which is what you use for everything else--telling lies and selling socks, advertising and conducting law. Whereas we don't write little concerti to each other, or paint pictures.” quote by W.S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d26/w-s-merwin-2-23725_art_the-thing-that-makes-poetry-different-fr_508289.jpg)
![“I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to [when I started my career], because so many things are on the road. I just don't want to be away from my husband, my dogs and my home. I don't sing that much any more because that also takes you on the road.” quote by Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/07c/jane-powell-36243_away-from-home_i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s_278.jpg)
