If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
William Butler YeatsRead
We have lit upon the gentle, sensitive mind And lost the old nonchalance of the hand; Whether we have chosen chisel, pen or brush, We are but critics, or but half create.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the transition from a carefree creativity to a deeper, more sensitive artistic expression.
William Butler Yeats reflects on the evolution of the artist's mindset, suggesting that while we may use various tools like chisel, pen, or brush to create, we are often no longer fully free in our artistic expression. Instead, we find ourselves analyzing and critiquing our work rather than allowing the joyous, nonchalant creativity of the past to flow uninhibitedly.
Themes
ArtCreativityExpressionSensitivityCritique
In practice
Example use cases
A discussion on the challenges artists face in maintaining their originality.
More from William Butler Yeats
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But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
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How far away the stars seem, and how far is our first kiss, and ah, how old my heart.
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For he would be thinking of love Till the stars had run away And the shadows eaten the moon.
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Love is created and preserved by intellectual analysis, for we love only that which is unique, and it belongs to contemplation, not to action, for we would not change that which we love.
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