"Like a French poem is life; being only perfect in structure when with the masculine rhymes mingled the feminine are"
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
About this Quote
This quote by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a metaphor comparing life to a French poem. He is suggesting that life is just ideal when it is balanced in between masculine and feminine components. This might be analyzed in many ways, such as the balance in between work and leisure, or the balance in between independence and dependence on others. It might likewise be interpreted as the balance in between manly and feminine energy, or the balance between masculine and womanly functions in society. Longfellow is suggesting that life is just best when these two elements are in harmony. He is emphasizing the importance of balance in life, and how it can result in a more fulfilling and meaningful existence. This quote is a reminder that life is not just about accomplishing success, however also about finding balance and harmony in all elements of life.
"With the question of the effect of a poem, the topic of investigation shifts from that of textual autonomy to textual reception - to the issue of what we actually look for or find in reading a poem"
"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"
"A revolutionary poem will not tell you who or when to kill, what and when to burn, or even how to theorize. It reminds you... where and when and how you are living and might live, it is a wick of desire"
