"First, I do not sit down at my desk to put into verse something that is already clear in my mind. If it were clear in my mind, I should have no incentive or need to write about it"

In this quote, C. Day Lewis checks out the dynamic interaction in between clarity of thought and the innovative procedure of composing, especially in the context of poetry. At its core, the declaration challenges a typical presumption about writing: that authors write to articulate pre-existing, well-formed ideas. Rather, Day Lewis recommends that composing, particularly poetry, is an exploratory process-- a way to clarify and offer shape to the nebulous, swirling ideas and feelings within the writer's mind.

The assertion "I do not take a seat at my desk to take into verse something that is already clear in my mind" captures the essence of writing as a journey of discovery. It indicates that the act of writing is not simply a transcription of clear, settled concepts but rather a cognitive undertaking that aids in unraveling complex, often evasive emotions and ideas. Writing becomes a tool for idea, a way to browse the abstract and the undefined.

Moreover, by specifying, "If it were clear in my mind, I need to have no reward or require to discuss it", Day Lewis highlights an inspirational element of the writing process. Unpredictability, uncertainty, and the mission for comprehending drive the composing undertaking. The lack of clearness is depicted not as a challenge, but as an impetus for creation. It is this very unpredictability that propels the writer to check out and articulate the inchoate visions home within.

Through this point of view, Day Lewis invites readers and authors alike to welcome the uncertainty intrinsic in the imaginative procedure. Rather than viewing absence of clearness as a limitation, he reframes it as an exciting chance for discovery. The quote motivates an appreciation of the unfolding nature of thought, in which poems and works develop as living entities, shaped and improved by the author's ongoing engagement with their own interior landscapes.

In essence, Day Lewis's insight speaks with the heart of imagination-- the understanding that clarity emerges through the art of composing itself, making the path towards it as substantial as the location.