"I thought I'd begin by reading a poem by Shakespeare, but then I thought, why should I? He never reads any of mine"
- Spike Milligan
About this Quote
This quote by Spike Milligan is a funny take on the concept of reciprocity. He is recommending that he will not read a poem by Shakespeare, as Shakespeare has actually never ever read any of his poems. This might be interpreted as a discuss the absence of recognition that Milligan has actually gotten for his work, or it could be an easy going joke about the truth that Shakespeare is a popular poet and Milligan is not. It could also be seen as a comment on the idea of artistic competitors, as Milligan is suggesting that he is not willing to take on Shakespeare. Whatever the interpretation, this quote is a funny method of revealing the idea that acknowledgment need to be shared.
"Of the individual poems, some are more lyric and some are more descriptive or narrative. Each poem is fixed in a moment. All those moments written or read together take on the movement and architecture of a narrative"
"The heart of the matter seems to me to be the direct interaction between one's making a poem in English and a poem in the language that one understands and values. I don't see how you can do it otherwise"
"The point of an experiment is not to arrive at a predetermined end point, to prove or disprove anything, but to deliver a poem that reveals much about the process taken"
"Our moments of inspiration are not lost though we have no particular poem to show for them; for those experiences have left an indelible impression, and we are ever and anon reminded of them"
"The figure a poem makes. It begins in delight and ends in wisdom... in a clarification of life - not necessarily a great clarification, such as sects and cults are founded on, but in a momentary stay against confusion"