The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.
Muriel RukeyserRead
The actual world, not some fantastic structure that has nothing to do with reality, must provide the material for modern poetry.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Modern poetry should be rooted in real experiences and truths from the actual world.
Muriel Rukeyser emphasizes that poetry should be inspired by genuine aspects of reality rather than whimsical or fantastical ideas that have no connection to the truths of life. This perspective underscores the importance of authentic human experiences and emotions as the foundation for artistic expression.
Themes
PoetryRealityArtExpressionTruth
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a lecture about the significance of authenticity in literature.
More from Muriel Rukeyser
All quotes βA work of art is one through which the consciousness of the artist is able to give its emotions to anyone who is prepared to receive them.
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In our period, they say there is free speech. They say there is no penalty for poets, There is no penalty for writing poems. They say this. This is the penalty.
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Nourish beginnings, let us nourish beginnings. Not all things are blest, but the seeds of all things are blest. The blessing is in the seed.
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The town of Gauley Bridge stands as a pattern for all those places where people are linked even in the middle of their suffering, where people fight against an evil condition so that other people need not go through the same fight.
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Always our wars have been our confessions of weakness
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