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If poetry should address itself to the same needs and aspirations, the same hopes and fears, to which the Bible addresses itself, it might rival it in distribution.
Wallace Stevens
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Poetry, when it connects with human emotions like the Bible does, could achieve similar widespread impact.

Wallace Stevens suggests that poetry has the potential to resonate deeply with human experiences—our needs, aspirations, hopes, and fears—just as the Bible does. If poets can tap into these universal themes effectively, their work could reach a broad audience and perhaps rival the Bible in its influence and distribution. This quote emphasizes the power of art to connect with the human spirit.

Themes

PoetryBibleEmotionsArtHuman ExperienceAspirationsDistribution

In practice

Example use cases

During a literary discussion, one might reference this quote to highlight the emotional depth of poetry.

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Everything is complicated; if that were not so, life and poetry and everything else would be a bore.
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After one has abandoned a belief in God, poetry is that essence which takes its place as life's redemption.
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Unfortunately there is nothing more inane than an Easter carol. It is a religious perversion of the activity of Spring in our blood.
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