We made in those days tiny identical rooms inside our bodies which the men who uncover our graves will find in a thousand years shining and whole.
Donald HallRead
To desire to write poems that endure-we undertake such a goal certain of two things: that in all likelihood we will fail, and if we succeed we will never know it
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote illustrates the challenges and uncertainties of pursuing lasting artistic expression.
In this quote, Donald Hall reflects on the complex relationship between ambition and achievement in poetry. He acknowledges that the aspiration to create enduring poems is fraught with the likelihood of failure, yet even in success, the poet may never truly gauge the impact of their work, highlighting the inherent uncertainties in artistic endeavors.
Themes
PoetryArtCreationFailureSuccessUncertainty
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a workshop on poetry to inspire participants about the challenges of creative writing.
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