--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poetry, at all times, exercises two…" description: "\"Poetry, at all times, exercises two distinct functions: it may reveal, it may unveil to every eye, the ideal aspects of common thingsor it may actually..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/walter-pater-9808_add_poetry-at-all-times-exercises-two-distin_1751572.jpg" --- # Poetry, at all times, exercises two distinct functions: it… ![“Poetry, at all times, exercises two distinct functions: it may reveal, it may unveil to every eye, the ideal aspects of common thingsor it may actually add to the number of motives poetic and uncommon in themselves, by the imaginative creation of things that are ideal from their very birth.” quote by Walter Pater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/walter-pater-9808_add_poetry-at-all-times-exercises-two-distin_1751572.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/walter-pater-9808_add_poetry-at-all-times-exercises-two-distin_1751572.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/walter-pater-9808_add_poetry-at-all-times-exercises-two-distin_1751572.jpg) > “Poetry, at all times, exercises two distinct functions: it may reveal, it may unveil to every eye, the ideal aspects of common thingsor it may actually add to the number of motives poetic and uncommon in themselves, by the imaginative creation of things that are ideal from their very birth.” [Walter Pater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-pater/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poetry serves both to uncover hidden truths in everyday objects and to create new, idealized visions through imagination. **In simple terms:** Poetry reveals and creates ideal aspects of ordinary things. Key Takeaway Seek both insight and imagination in reading poetry. Themes art imagination perception creation Mood reflective inspired Type analytical creative When to use this quote - Literary analysis - creative writing workshops - teaching poetry - personal reflection Key Concepts Aesthetic theory Romanticism Questions to Reflect On - How does poetry change your view of the mundane? - What new ideas can imagination generate from everyday life? A Different Perspective May overlook practical concerns when idealizing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Imaginative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imaginative/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetic/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [We need some imaginative stimulus, some not impossible ideal such as may shape vague hope, and transform it into effective desire, to carry us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-pater/we-need-some-imaginative-stimulus-some-not-impossible-ideal-such-as/) [Walter Pater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-pater/) > [The base of all artistic genius is the power of conceiving humanity in a new, striking, rejoicing way, of putting a happy world ofits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-pater/the-base-of-all-artistic-genius-is-the-power-of-conceiving-humanity/) [Walter Pater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-pater/) > [Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/excellence-is-to-do-a-common-thing-in-an-uncommon-way/) [Booker T. 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