--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poetry Is a Destructive Force\" That's…" description: "\"“Poetry Is a Destructive Force\" That's what misery is, Nothing to have at heart. It is to have or nothing. It is a thing to have, A lion, an ox in his ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79c/wallace-stevens-846_poetry_poetry-is-a-destructive-force-that-s-wha_1485577.jpg" --- # Poetry Is a Destructive Force" That's what misery is… ![“Poetry Is a Destructive Force" That's what misery is, Nothing to have at heart. It is to have or nothing. It is a thing to have, A lion, an ox in his breast, To feel it breathing there. Corazon, stout dog, Young ox, bow-legged bear, He tastes its blood, not spit. He is like a man In the body of a…” quote by Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79c/wallace-stevens-846_poetry_poetry-is-a-destructive-force-that-s-wha_1485577.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79c/wallace-stevens-846_poetry_poetry-is-a-destructive-force-that-s-wha_1485577.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79c/wallace-stevens-846_poetry_poetry-is-a-destructive-force-that-s-wha_1485577.jpg) > ““Poetry Is a Destructive Force" That's what misery is, Nothing to have at heart. It is to have or nothing. It is a thing to have, A lion, an ox in his breast, To feel it breathing there. Corazon, stout dog, Young ox, bow-legged bear, He tastes its blood, not spit. He is like a man In the body of a violent beast. Its muscles are his own . . . The lion sleeps in the sun. Its nose is on its paws. It can kill a man.”” [Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage likens poetry to a fierce, animalistic force that both creates and destroys, embodying raw emotion and power. **In simple terms:** Poetry is a powerful, animal‑like force that can be both creative and destructive. Key Takeaway Channel intense emotion through poetic expression. Themes creativity destruction emotion Mood intense reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - writing workshops - art criticism - personal reflection - educational lectures Key Concepts literature philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does the animal imagery suggest about poetry? - How can destructive creativity be harnessed? A Different Perspective May be too intense for casual readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Lion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lion/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Misery Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery-heart-4742338/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poetry Destructive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-destructive-5424739/) ## Related quotes > [He felt he had lost it for good, he knew what it was to have been in communication with her, and to be cast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-felt-he-had-lost-it-for-good-he-knew-what-it-was-to-have-been-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Once my cares were far away, Yes, once my cares were far away, Now my love has gone from me And misery is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/once-my-cares-were-far-away-yes-once-my-cares-were-far-away-now-my/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I saw 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Little Mermaid,' 'The Lion King,' 'Mary Poppins' - I saw all of those before I was introduced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zegler/i-saw-beauty-and-the-beast-little-mermaid-the-lion-king-mary-poppins/) [Rachel Zegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zegler/) > [A black sheep is a biting beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bastard/a-black-sheep-is-a-biting-beast/) [Thomas Bastard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bastard/) > [Sheep run to the slaughterhouse, silent and hopeless, but at least sheep never vote for the butcher who kills them or the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octave-mirbeau/sheep-run-to-the-slaughterhouse-silent-and-hopeless-but-at-least/) [Octave Mirbeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octave-mirbeau/) > [Of all animals, the outward form of the Lion is the most striking ; his look is bold and confident; his gait proud; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pinnock/of-all-animals-the-outward-form-of-the-lion-is-the-most-striking-his/) [William Pinnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-pinnock/) > [Poet, patting more nonsense foamed From the sea, conceive for thecourts Of these academies, the diviner health Disclosed in common forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stevens/poet-patting-more-nonsense-foamed-from-the-sea-conceive-for-thecourts/) [Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) > [Was man made stupid to see his own stupidity? 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It is a religious perversion of the activity of Spring in our blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stevens/unfortunately-there-is-nothing-more-inane-than-an-easter-carol-it-is/) [Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) > [The word is the making of the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stevens/the-word-is-the-making-of-the-world/) [Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) > [A diary is more or less the work of a man of clay whose hands are clumsy and in whose eyes there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stevens/a-diary-is-more-or-less-the-work-of-a-man-of-clay-whose-hands-are/) [Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) > [It is never the thing but the version of the thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stevens/it-is-never-the-thing-but-the-version-of-the-thing/) [Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) [Explore all 352 Wallace Stevens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) ## More Beast quotes > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. 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