"A poem is true if it hangs together. Information points to something else. A poem points to nothing but itself"
- E. M. Forster
About this Quote
E. M. Forster's quote recommends that a poem is evaluated by its internal consistency and structure, rather than by the facts it communicates. A poem is not judged by the accuracy of its information, however by how well it hangs together. The poem ought to be self-contained and self-referential, with its own internal logic and structure. The poem needs to not be judged by its capability to indicate something else, however by its capability to point to itself. This quote recommends that a poem must be evaluated on its own benefits, instead of by its ability to convey facts or point to something else. It is the poem's internal structure and consistency that make it real, rather than its ability to communicate info. This quote encourages readers to appreciate the appeal of a poem for its own sake, instead of for its ability to convey facts or indicate something else.
This quote is written / told by E. M. Forster between January 1, 1879 and June 7, 1970. He was a famous Novelist from England, the quote is categorized under the topic Poetry. The author also have 69 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"