Howard Nemerov quotes

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When I was starting to write, the great influence was T.S. Eliot and after that William Butler Yeats.
Howard Nemerov
Influence
Nothing in the universe can travel at the speed of light, they say, forgetful of the shadow's speed.
Howard Nemerov
Travel
Light
Nothing
Shadow
Universe
I've never read a political poem that's accomplished anything. Poetry makes things happen, but rarely what the poet wants.
Howard Nemerov
Poetry
Write what you know. That should leave you with a lot of free time.
Howard Nemerov
Time
When modern writers gave up telling stories, they gave up the greatest thing we had.
Howard Nemerov
Writers
Language cares.
Howard Nemerov
Language
We're not in love with Literature all the time - especially when you have to teach it every day.
Howard Nemerov
Love
Time
Day
Literature
The spirit world doesn't admit to communicating with me, so it's fairly even.
Howard Nemerov
Spirit
World
The secrets of success are a good wife and a steady job. My wife told me.
Howard Nemerov
Success
Wife
Job
Secrets
The nice thing about the Bible is it doesn't give you too many facts. Two an a half lines and it tells you the whole story and that leaves you a great deal of freedom to elaborate on how it might have happened.
Howard Nemerov
Bible
Facts
Freedom
Shakespeare tells the same stories over and over in so many guises that it takes a long time before you notice.
Howard Nemerov
Time
Shakespeare
Robert Frost had always said you mustn't think of the last line first, or it's only a fake poem, not a real one. I'm inclined to agree.
Howard Nemerov
First
Once in awhile you have a thought, and you rhyme it.
Howard Nemerov
Thought
Obvious enough that generalities work to protect the mind from the great outdoors; is it possible that this was in fact their first purpose?
Howard Nemerov
Work
Purpose
Fact
First
Mind
Obvious
Mostly the thought and the verse come inseparably. In my poem Poetics, it's as close as I come to telling how I do it.
Howard Nemerov
Thought