Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful
feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected intranquillity.—William
Wordsworth
A poem compresses much into a small space and
adds music, thus heightening its meaning.—E. B.White
One merit of poetry few people will deny: it
says more and in fewer words than does prose—Voltaire
Poetry is the power of defining the indefinable
in terms of the unforgettable.—Louis Untermeyer
The crown of literature is poetry. It is its end
and aim. It is the sublimest activity of the human
mind. It is the achievement of beauty and delicacy. The
writer of prose can only step aside when the poet
passes.—W. Somerset Maugham
When power leads man to arrogance, poetry
reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows
the area of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the
richness and diversity of his existence. When power
corrupts, poetry cleanses.—John F. Kennedy
Poetry is the art of uniting pleasure with
truth.—Samuel Johnson
Poetry is truth dwelling in beauty.—Gilfillan
Poetry is one of the forms of joy, the most
articulate, the most expanding, and, therefore, the most
fulfilling form. It is no separation from the world; it is
the mankind of the world, the most human language
of man's uncertain romance with the universe.—John Ciardi
Poetry is simply the most beautiful, impressive,
and widely effective mode of saying things.—Matthew L Arnold
Language is the greatest achievement of culture;
poetry is the greatest achievement of language—Vladimir Alexandrov
I want the concentration & the romance, & the words all glued together, fused, glowing: have no time to waste any more on prose.--Virginia Woolf
A poem . . . begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness. . . . It finds the thought and the thought finds the words.--Robert Frost
You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.--Mario Cuomo
To see the Summer Sky
Is Poetry, though never in a Book it lie—
True Poems flee—
Emily Dickinson
Only poetry inspires poetry.-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Yet, it is true, poetry is delicious; the best prose is that which is most full
of poetry.
--Virginia Woolf
Poetry lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world, and makes familiar objects be as if they were not familiar.--Percy Bysshe Shelley
He who draws noble delights from the sentiments of poetry is a true poet, though he has never written a line.--George Sand
Writing free verse is like playing tennis with the net down.--Robert Frost
Not marble nor the gilded monuments
Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme.
--William Shakespeare