"The experiment of the poem is mostly intuitive. I write the first draft, pulling in the various elements that interest me, in the hope that their being combined will lead to some kind of insight"
- John Barton
About this Quote
John Barton's quote speaks with the innovative procedure of writing a poem. He suggests that the procedure is primarily user-friendly, indicating that it is driven by impulse and feeling rather than reasoning and reason. He describes that he writes the initial draft of the poem by drawing in the different aspects that interest him, such as images, metaphors, and symbols. He hopes that by integrating these components, he will be able to acquire some type of insight or understanding. This quote speaks to the power of imagination and how it can be utilized to check out and reveal ideas. It also highlights the significance of relying on one's intuition and permitting it to direct the creative process. By doing so, one can develop something that is significant and insightful.
"Poets have said that the reason to have children is to give yourself immortality. Immortality? Now that I have five children, my only hope is that they are all out of the house before I die"