Those who actually set out to see the fall of a city or those who choose to go … - James Fenton

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I like being swept up in weather and observing it as something beautiful and giant. It makes you feel so minute. The only thing as big as that are your thoughts about it, which can expand exponentially while your physical self is just trapped. It's a pretty awesome feeling, in the original sense of the word.

James Fenton

Those who actually set out to see the fall of a city or those who choose to go to a front line, are obviously asking themselves to what extent they are cowards. But the tests they set themselves - there is a dead body, can you bear to look at it? - are nothing in comparison with the tests that are sprung on them. It is not the obvious tests that matter (do you go to pieces in a mortar attack?) but the unexpected ones (here is a man on the run, seeking your help - can you face him honestly?).

Attack, City, Cowards, Fall, Running, War

Same Author Quotes

Lyric poetry is, of course, musical in origin. I do know that what happened to poetry in the twentieth century was that it began to be written for the page. When it's a question of typography, why not? Poets have done beautiful things with typography - Apollinaire's 'Calligrammes,' that sort of thing.

Beautiful, Lyric Poetry, Musical, Origin, Poets, Twentieth

Imitation, if it is not forgery, is a fine thing. It stems from a generous impulse, and a realistic sense of what can and cannot be done.

Done, Fine, Imitation, Realistic, Sense, Thing

The lullaby is the spell whereby the mother attempts to transform herself back from an ogre to a saint.

Humorous, Lullaby, Mom, Mother, Saint, Spell

The writing of a poem is like a child throwing stones into a mineshaft. You compose first, then you listen for the reverberation.

Child, Children, Like, Poetry, Writing

Windbags can be right. Aphorists can be wrong. It is a tough world.

Aphorists, Right, Tough, Tough World, World