"Well you can't teach the poetry, but you can teach the craft"
- David Hockney
About this Quote
This quote by David Hockney recommends that although it is difficult to teach someone the creative and emotional elements of poetry, it is possible to teach the technical aspects of composing poetry. This suggests that the technical elements of composing poetry, such as structure, kind, and language, can be taught and found out. Hockney is suggesting that although the innovative and psychological aspects of poetry can not be taught, the technical elements can be. This suggests that although someone may not have the ability to develop a poem that is emotionally powerful, they can still find out the technical elements of composing poetry. This quote is a pointer that although creativity and emotion are necessary elements of poetry, the technical aspects of writing poetry are also important and can be taught.
"One has children in the expectation of dying before them. In fact, you want to make damn sure you die before them, just as you plant a tree or build a house knowing, hoping that it will outlive you. That's how the human species has done as well as it has"
