Then you develop a kind of critical sense about what you write. You can tell when something is good, but it would be just as good in somebody else's work too. You want to hold out for those things only you can say.
James DickeyRead
A poet is someone who stands outside in the rain hoping to be struck by lightning.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote illustrates the risks and vulnerabilities that come with creativity and artistic expression.
James Dickey's quote suggests that a poet, much like other artists, is willing to take risks and embrace uncertainty in pursuit of inspiration and creativity. The metaphor of standing in the rain symbolizes openness to lifeβs experiences and the potential for moments of great insight or inspiration, akin to being struck by lightning, which represents sudden bursts of creativity. This willingness to face danger or discomfort for the sake of their art reflects the passionate dedication artists often have toward their craft.
Themes
PoetCreativityRiskInspirationArt
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech about the importance of taking risks in life to achieve your dreams.
More from James Dickey
All quotes βI want a fever, in poetry: a fever, and tranquillity.
James DickeyRead
So much destruction in modern war takes place miles and miles away from the source of the destruction, the human being who has caused it.
James DickeyRead
What a view, i said again. The river was blank and mindless with beauty. It was the most glorious thing I have ever seen. But it was not seeing, really. For once it was not just seeing. It was beholding. I beheld the river in its icy pit of brightness, in its far-below sound and indifference, in its large coil and tiny points and flashes of the moon, in its long sinuous form, in its uncomprehending consequence.
James DickeyRead
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