"The reason one writes poems is so that your poem will be remembered"
- Peter Davison
About this Quote
This quote by Peter Davison speaks with the power of poetry and the desire of poets to be kept in mind. Composing a poem is an act of self-expression, but it is also an act of communication. By writing a poem, a poet is wanting to connect with an audience and to leave a lasting impression. The poet wishes to be remembered for their work, and to have their words linger in the minds of readers. Writing a poem is a method to celebrate one's ideas and sensations, and to create something that will outlive the poet. It is a way to make a lasting impact on the world, and to leave a tradition that will be kept in mind for generations to come.
"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"
"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 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"