I hope my recordings of my own works won't inhibit other people's performances. The brutal fact is that one doesn't always get the exact tempo one wants, although one improves with experience.
Aaron CoplandRead
What makes me write is the rhythm of the world around me - the rhythms of the language, of course, but also of the land, the wind, the sky, other lives. Before the words comes the rhythm - that seems to me to be of the essence.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of the natural world's rhythm in inspiring creativity and expression.
John Burnside illustrates that the act of writing is not solely about the words themselves, but rather the underlying rhythms that permeate life and the environment. He suggests that language is influenced by the sensations and movements of the world—nature, other individuals, and the ambiance that surrounds us—highlighting the interconnectedness of experience and artistic expression.
Themes
RhythmWritingNatureInspirationCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
In a poetry workshop, one could use this quote to explain how our surroundings influence our creative writing.
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Rollo MayRead