"Knowing some Greek helped defuse forbidding words - not that I counted much on using them. You'll find only trace elements of this language in the poem"
- James Merrill
About this Quote
This quote by James Merrill is describing making use of Greek words in his poem. He is stating that understanding some Greek helped him to comprehend and utilize words that might have otherwise been too difficult or intimidating. He acknowledges that he did not rely greatly on utilizing Greek words in his poem, but that there are still some micronutrient of the language present. This quote is a testament to the power of language and how it can be utilized to create something beautiful and significant. It also speaks with the significance of knowing and comprehending different languages, as it can open up a world of possibilities. Knowing Greek permitted Merrill to reveal himself in a manner that he might not have actually been able to do otherwise.
This quote is written / told by James Merrill between March 3, 1926 and February 6, 1995. He/she was a famous Poet from USA.
The author also have 10 other quotes.
"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"