"For there is a sound reasoning upon all flowers. For flowers are peculiarly the poetry of Christ"
- Christopher Smart
About this Quote
In this quote, Christopher Smart suggests that flowers hold a much deeper significance beyond just being aesthetically pleasing. He argues that they possess a sound reasoning, meaning that they signify something greater than themselves. This thinking may be analyzed as representing the appeal and marvel of nature, the cycle of life and death, or the interconnectedness of all living things. Smart likewise explains flowers as being "peculiarly the poetry of Christ", which highlights the religious connotations of his message. This expression suggests that flowers are imbued with a divine quality that can inspire and uplift us, just like poetry. Overall, Smart's quote commemorates the profound meanings and spiritual significance that flowers can hold.
"We don't attempt to have any theme for a number of the anthology, or to have any particular sequence. We just put in things that we like, and then we try to alternate the prose and the poetry"
"Concrete poets continue to turn out beautiful things, but to me they're more visual than oral, and they almost really belong on the wall rather than in a book. I haven't the least idea of where poetry is going"
"I think Ginsberg has done more harm to the craft that I honor and live by than anybody else by reducing it to a kind of mean that enables the most dubious practitioners to claim they are poets because they think, If the kind of thing Ginsberg does is poetry, I can do that"
