Poetry is a street fighter. It has sharp elbows. It can look after itself. Poetry can't be used for manipulation; it's why you never see good poetry in advertising.
David WhyteRead
The price of our vitality is the sum of all our fears
Interpretation
What this quote means
Our experiences and energy in life come with the cost of facing our fears.
David Whyte's quote suggests that the essence of living fully and vibrantly is inherently tied to confronting and understanding our fears. These fears can often hold us back, but by acknowledging them, we pay a price that enriches our vitality and existence. In essence, to truly embrace life, one must be willing to face the challenges that fear presents.
Themes
VitalityFearsLifeCourageFear
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about overcoming personal challenges.
More from David Whyte
All quotes βPoetry is often the art of overhearing yourself say things you didn't know you knew. It is a learned skill to force yourself to articulate your life, your present world or your possibilities for the future.
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By definition, poetry works with qualities and dynamics that mainstream society is reluctant to face head-on. It's an interesting phenomenon that by necessity, poetry is just below the radar.
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We learn, grow and become compassionate and generous as much through exile as homecoming, as much through loss as gain, as much through giving things away as in receiving what we believe to be our due.
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What if the world is holding its breath - _x000D_ waiting for you to take the place that only you can fill?
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